Just how important are community colleges in the landscape of higher education in the United States? Well, nearly half of US undergraduates attend a community college; that makes them pretty important. Two community college presidents—Gail Mellow of LaGuardia Community College in New York and DeRionne Pollard of Montgomery College in Maryland—argue in this February 2017 Baltimore Sun article that community colleges are the key to healing the nation and its people.
Read it here: Mellow & Pollard, “Community colleges can heal a divided America”
- Why do Mellow and Pollard believe that community colleges are so vital to the United States? What’s so special about them? Summarize the authors’ argument. Do they make a persuasive case? Why or why not?
- As we know from their essay, Mellow and Pollard are both presidents of community colleges. They devote a full paragraph to describing their personal backgrounds. How important is that information to the argument they’re making? Why do you think so? Would their essay be more effective without that information? Why or why not?
- As Chapter 8 of your text explains, the repetition of key words and phrases is a good device for connecting the parts of your argument. Mellow and Pollard make effective use of this strategy with the word “opportunity.” How does each appearance of the word contribute to the main argument? Do the authors rely too heavily on the word? Why or why not?
- Mellow and Pollard call on “national leaders” to help community colleges “preserve the opportunity for Americans to learn and … build careers”; however, they don’t offer any concrete suggestions about what they’d like these leaders to do. What concrete recommendations would you make for your school and community? Write an essay that details specific programs or improvements that you would like to see. Use Mellow and Pollard’s essay as your They Say, and address the local conditions that you observe in your daily life.
They Say I Blog 
Mellow and pollard believe that community colleges are very important to the american lifestyle now is because more and more people are taking school less serious and some people are looking at community colleges as a gateway to something good. The information from both presidents is very important because some people you never know why they’re there and for some people it was pretty easy and for some it wasn’t so easy, and i believe that the information was key because sometimes you need that background. No i don’t believe that the authors relied too much on the word “opportunity” and each time it is used it is being linked back to why the community college system is so important in america right now.
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n responding to the debate by Mishel, (2012) “College and Then What”. A professor once told me, that a college education would eventually be free and offered just like a kindergarten thru twelfth grade education. This concept would malign the idea of an education not being accessible to everyone. The United States spends roughly $598.5 billion on defense and approximately $141 billion on educating our elementary and secondary children. This year the amount that the government will spend will be even less. The latest figures from the Presidents fiscal year 2018 Budget Fact Sheet, will provide $73 billion less than previous years. With technology advancing at a major pace, I would think that educating citizens should be this nations chief objective.
President’s Budget. (2018, January). Fact Sheet: President Trump’s FY 2018 Budget. Retrieved
January 16, 2018, from https://www.whitehouse.gov
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Community colleges are obviously the cheapest type of post secondary education. While some may argue that you get what you pay for, this does not apply to college. You can either buy under armour, or walmart brand. Huge price difference, but same product. Colleges are the same. Also, all colleges are required to meet certain standards, so all colleges operate on the same level. You probably think you are so cool for having a degree from Harvard, but in all honesty you were taught on the same standards as every other college student in America. While it may be cool to go off to some large university, it really is not justifiable unless you have pretty much a full ride.
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More and more often it is perceived that if someone goes to community college, they are going for the explicit purpose of getting a certification or some technical skill that will come in handy for the intermediate job field. If that is not the case then the other way that the perception would go is that the community college is merely a stepping stone to a more renowned or “prestigious” institution. For these reasons, some may think that there is less weight or value that is carried with traditional degrees such as associates and masters degrees in fields of specific study. For people to take community colleges more seriously, then the attitudes and perceptions of these colleges need an overhaul first.
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I definitely agree with Mellow and Pollard on their view of community colleges. They both believe that community colleges can help bridge a gap between the poor and wealthy, the uneducated and educated. The problem with universities and private schools is that they are incredibly expensive, often lack diversity, and leave students with crippling debt. Both Mellow and Pollard are living examples of the diversity that one can find in a community college. One of them is white, born and raised in rural upstate New York, while the other is Black, born and raised in Chicago where violence is an everyday occurrence. However, because community college is non-exclusive and affordable, both of them were able to attend and gain an education. A high school diploma is no longer sufficient for Americans. To better secure a bright future, one must attend college. The world is evolving in a manner that makes living a successful life very difficult. It is becoming more and more competitive, with a college diploma often being the minimum requirement for a job. Community colleges are also flexible with student’s schedules, therefore students who need to work can do so. Community colleges also offer financial aid, so that the student’s financial burden can be lessened. They also stated that community colleges also welcome veterans and support them with their special needs. Veterans need special support for their emotional needs and financial needs, and community college can offer both. Most community colleges have health centers and assistance for the mentally and physically unstable. However, it is not only veterans that community colleges accommodate for. They also accommodate for all physical and mentally disabled individuals. Mellow and Pollard both explain that community colleges celebrate diversity and share one thing in common: opportunity. People who attend community college are given the opportunity to leave their poverty-ridden cities to live out a life of opportunity, success, and happiness.
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This article was quite interesting to me as I did in fact agree with the authors. It made me open up my eyes and realize more pros about community colleges. I never really thought about how community colleges actually gather people from different factors and it does in a way put together a divided America. There is a bridge being made between different backgrounds and economic statuses which can also help create new connections filled with diversity. A majority of people tend to see community colleges as schools for the “unaccepted” or the “rejects”, as some of them were rejected from other colleges and universities. It seems like this stigma comes to show how poorly community colleges are viewed as. I can actually see how community colleges have something that other colleges and universities do not, and that is diversity. If one thinks about it, those who are unable to afford state colleges, universities, and/or private schools but still want to continue their education go to community colleges. The international students who come but are unable to apply to colleges because of issues with credits could, and still do, apply to community colleges. In addition, even the older adults enroll in community colleges, so even age factors into the diversity that community colleges have. I have also noticed many people who do not take advantage of community colleges when they should not be. I see many not even attempt to try in what they do. They do not focus on doing the best they can because they give up too fast. I think a way to give hope and, in a way,, a wakeup call to those who are not trying in community college would be to remind them that they are lucky they are able to start fresh with a community filled with diversity in order to build new connections.
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Community colleges are so vital to the United states because of the main factor on how much cheaper it is than going to a university. I definitely agree with these authors, they really put community college into a perspective for me; especially since I attend a community college. Mellow and Pollard go to explain how community colleges are “affordable and accessible”, and I couldn’t agree more. I think the information that they provided from them being president’s of community colleges is very important for this article. They are actually a part of a community college and they know the ins and outs. Personally I do not think that Mellow and Pollard relied too much on the word “opportunity.” It went well with the text and was paired nicely with their text. The authors state, We welcome the opportunity, finally, to close the yawning chasm of inequality that has stunted the potential of millions of Americans and led them to achieve considerably less than their true promise.” This is why “opportunity” fit nicely. I think the national leaders should fund more students, even though there is a drastic money difference between community colleges and universities; I still think community colleges should still get the benefits that go along with universities.
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It is a shame that economic divides create educational divides among the populous and community colleges could help to bridge this gap. But I also believe there should be more emphasis on education in government with funding, because while these colleges are helpful, government influence is powerful and effective if utilized in the right manner.
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Community colleges I feel like are very under rated and over looked. I feel like some people look down on people in a “tech” school, but they are making a very smart choose that is still giving them a college degree. Instead of going into huge debt and impossible classes, community college honestly seems like the most reliable route. If people become more accepting of community colleges I feel like the gap will close tremendously.
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Although people seem to look down on community colleges and think they are for the less fortunate and your degree won’t be as good, many could disagree! there is plenty of people who go to a 2 year college before a 4 year and succeed just the same! I believe the college I have been attending brings in a diverse community around me, which I’m not use to, but enjoy. the two woman in this article come from completely different backgrounds, but yet still come together on the same thoughts as far as community colleges. most people don’t do research on the community colleges especially if there is a university around them that they plan to attend. this article gives a little insight on the options for community colleges.
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Question 2
Mellow and Pollard mentioning their backgrounds were very important in this argument. It really helped make the argument. Them being the presidents of a community college and having backgrounds that most people that go to community colleges have was just great information to give to the argument. Considering that community colleges and people that go to them are typically looked down on, Them stating that shows that its possible to make it through and be successful going to a community college. I don’t think their argument would be more effective without that information, because real life examples always boost an argument.
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Hi thank You so much for sharing this useful stuff with internet users, we are really very appreciated with this useful information.
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The argument that mellow and pollard make regarding community colleges is that they are a way to bring everyone together, for example middle class white Americans, lower class minorities and veterans. Community colleges according to mellow and pollard, “have none of the trappings of exclusivity yet all the academic prowess required to engage in the thoughtful consensus- building necessary to knit back together a divided America” (mellow and pollard, 2017). Community colleges are vital to the United States because they allow everyone an equal opportunity to affordable education. Something that makes them exceptional is that they welcome everyone, their prices are affordable; thus, allowing people to get educated and pursue the “American dream” without being is a massive dept. in my opinion the authors make a valid argument that community colleges bring America closer together because they demonstrated how community college enables society to give opportunities to individuals who would be forgotten and set aside at other educational institutes. I agree that community colleges are crucial to American society, and in my opinion, are becoming the ladder to escape poverty for many minority groups.
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I disagree with Hunter Smith because I don’t think that all colleges are the same. Why? because many of the graduates from high-ranked colleges get better jobs compared to people who attended public colleges. So, therefore attending a high-rank college does make difference. Realistically, having “Havard graduate” in your resume is more likely to get you a job than having some other unknown public college. The education level in pristine colleges is much better.
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The Blog and the discussions following behind it are discussing about community college and how more students are deciding to attend them over universities. They also talk about how cheap community college is. I’ve always believed that attending community college would be better for many people. For example people who don’t want to attend a four year college but still want the college degree for a better job. Also for people like me who would much rather spend less money getting prerequisites at a community then transfer to a university. Overall community college I believe is a better and cheaper choice. I also agree with what some of the responses said about lack of diversity at universities while community college has a mix of poor and wealthy and many different ethnic backgrounds. I would suggest people attend a community college over a university and I wish that I did.
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I believe that including the fact that Mellow and Pollard are both presidents of community colleges and they devote a full paragraph to describing their very different personal backgrounds was detrimental to making their argument. Community colleges are significant to the because they allow everyone an equal opportunity to affordable education. Not only are they affordable but they also accept everyone regardless of background which pushes the coming together of an extremely divided nation. Mellow and Pollard including their different backgrounds and showing how they both were able to make it to the same place further proves their argument about how beneficial community college can be for America.
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I strongly agree with the argument made by Mellow and Pollard. They argued that community colleges have been a vital tool to unite our divided nation. Unlike private universities, community colleges are affordable and accessible to students from all different backgrounds. As competition for jobs is being increasingly intense, most jobs favor candidates with a college degree. In the past, this left many Americans at a huge disadvantage. However, thanks to community colleges, more Americans have access to higher education and therefore have more opportunities to better their future. Community colleges give students the power to control their schedules so they can work and go to school. They also offer financial aid to assist students who could not otherwise afford it. Community colleges also offer a lot of assistance for veterans and the physically and mentally disabled. Community colleges also cater to a diverse age range of individuals. Whether someone is just graduating high school, or choosing to go back to school later in life, they are welcomed. This diversity is truly what makes community colleges so different from most state colleges and private universities. It has a huge impact on the students inside and outside the classroom. Outside of class students can interact with a diverse group of peers and learn about people with different cultures and backgrounds. As Mellow and Pollard stated in their article, it also directly impacts the curriculum and class discussions. Community college classes are able to discuss controversial issues such as immigration, racism, and inequality because they are real problems faced by many of their students. Community colleges have been able to bridge the gap of race, politics, age, and class to bring Americans from all different backgrounds together in the pursuit of knowledge and opportunity.
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In the article “Community Colleges Can Heal a Divided America” by Gail Mellow, is talking about how the economic polarization in america is caused by racism, xenophobia(prejudice against other countries), and discrimination against peoples beliefs. Americans live in more segregated communities and attend more segregated schools than in the last 20 years. But community colleges can become very diverse places where everybody is welcome to try to get their education. “we both see the unique potential of community colleges as places of dialogue and healing”.
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In this article, “Community Colleges Can Heal A Divided America” Gail Mellow states that community colleges were made for students that need healing, and dialogue. Everyone comes from different childhoods, and life experiences. Therefor not everyone can afford to pay to attend a four year university. Mellow feels that Community college serves as a healing process for diverse students that need a place to start. Something that’s affordable, and also something that can knit back America again as a whole Instead of a division between race, and political views. I agree with her. I think that community colleges help with middle class and low class citizens that want to obtain a college degree or an associate degree. Because in today’s society I feel that most jobs want the employees to have some sort of degree.
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Mellow and Pollard claim in this article that community colleges can help unit our divided Country. I agree with what they are saying. As being a student at a community college, I have experienced many of the examples they mentioned above. I have met many people coming from different backgrounds. They claim that community colleges are inexpensive compared to larger Universities and colleges. This makes in an easy accessible tool for lower classed communities.
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I found this article to be not only accurate, but also necessary. I can relate to the way it depicted community colleges. I can also appreciate the way the article not only presented cultural and class differences as a conflict, but I can say that it reflects my reality. As a Black-American student that does come from a lower class family I do find that my community college is a melting pot. I have experience being in a non-diverse classroom where I did experience racial bias and prejudice from my classmates and instructor. There are various cultural identities, political parties, majors and economic classes that bring us together as one class and student body at the community college I attend. The contrast is very apparent. I used to attend college at a private 4 year college and now I attend college at a community college in my area. Having both of these experiences has shown me that community colleges can be just as rigorous of an education as an education at a private 4 year college. You get the opportunity to save money as well with lower tuition, scholarships and financial aid. Smaller classrooms also mean more attention from your professors. There was a time when I denied that community college was an option for me. However, I have found that since coming to a community college I have been more comfortable than in previous academic institutions and I have learned even more than I previously did at the 4 year private college.
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I totally agree with Mellow and Pollard when they argue that community colleges are vital to the United States since they bring affordable and accessible opportunities to people in disadvantage whether their financial situation deteriorated or they are trying to reinsert themselves in society, like veterans. They are also right when they face the fact that “a high school diploma is not longer sufficient to ensure a bright future.” Community colleges play a huge role in educating people thus they highly contribute to society.
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The word “opportunity,” is carefully and strategically incorporated throughout this work. Mellow and Pollard’s argument is that, “community college will heal a divided America.” The word “opportunity,” is carefully and strategically incorporated throughout this work. It is used to show a commonality among diversity. Whether, an individual is presented with a lack or wealth of “opportunity” in life, community college can offer everyone the “opportunity” to obtain a degree in higher education. I do not feel that Mellow and Pollard relied too heavily on this word. I think it made just the right connection and point that they were making.
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Mellow and Pollard use the word “opportunity” to really drive their point across. Their very strategic when using it. They showed us the importance of community colleges. They showed use that community colleges gives someone the opportunity to achieve certain goals that might not be possible without it. It also showed us that the opportunity community colleges gives can be a way out of their current situation. To know that just because you didn’t get in a university your able to work towards getting their. I don’t think that Mellow and Pollard relied too heavily on the word opportunity. Their article talks about the opportunity community colleges can give to people.
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Mellow and Pollard bring attention to a very import issue concerning community college and the importance of them. The argument that Mellow and Pollard present is a very strong argument on how “Community colleges can heal a divided America.” The two use the word “opportunity” throughout their article very well to get their point across. The word “opportunity” is the ideal word you want to see when you are looking at community colleges. I believe Mellow and Pollard used the word “opportunity” just enough to get their point across. Community colleges give people the opportunity to study and learn.
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Mellow and Pollard talk about the advantages of community college and how it gives opportunity to those who don’t otherwise have the means to go to college. They use the word “opportunity” throughout in order to get their message across and I think they use it very well. They don’t overuse the word and make it obvious, they use it just enough for someone to pick up on the message without feeling like the word “opportunity” is being shoved in their face. It’s very well placed and very well executed.
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Answering Question 3:
In their article, Mellow and Pollard use the word opportunity to emphasis all that one can get out of community college and how community college is ‘Healing a divided America’. They strategically put it after the problem and used the word opportunity to follow up and become the answer to the problem. I don’t think they relied to heavily on it. They used it as a transition word.
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Mellow and Pollards repetition of the word “oppurtunity” is used to emphasize how community college allows people that can’t afford a four year university the chance to continue their education past High School and allow them to obtain a degree for less money and using the word “oppurtunity” as much as they did indicates how strongly theauthors feel on this subject.
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By Mellow and Pollard mentioning their backgrounds in the article, it helped them form their argument. They were both presidents of a community college and had backgrounds that a general community college student would have really supported their argument as well. Considering community colleges are generally looked down on, the statements that were stated shows that it is possible to be successful in life even by attending a community college. Without their background information, their argument would not have been as effective because having personal experiences helps make the perfect argument.
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Mellow and Pollard are saying that community colleges are vital because todays outside world has so much segregation and tension that community college is open to everyone and helps us come together
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People seem to look down on community colleges and think they are for the less fortunate and your degree won’t be as good, many could disagree. Community Colleges save money and there is plenty of people who go to a 2 year college before a 4 year and succeed just the same. Most people do not do research on the community colleges especially if there is a university around them that they plan to attend.
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Community Colleges give many opportunities to adults or young adults about going to college but not full time or not five hours from your house. In the article they use the word “opportunity” to try to get the point or the reasoning across to the reader. Mellow and Pollard used the word just enough they didn’t use it to much or to little they had the right amount of words to match the reader and to get the point to where it should have been.
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Mellow and Pollard state that “Americans live in more segregated communities and attend more segregated schools now than in the past 20 years.” They believe that this only contributes to factors such as racial tension, lack of opportunity, and economic insecurity. There are many pros to community colleges that people do not realize. Personally, I am dual-enrolled at a local community college and I feel this has really prepared me to attend a university in a couple of months. I recommend community colleges because they give you a sense of what to expect when you attend a four year school. They are also very beneficial in giving you the opportunity to save money. Community colleges are often looked down upon versus attending a four year school. I feel if people were more aware of the benefits that community colleges offer, they would be more accepting. Community colleges offer a bridge for people that may not have the financial means to attend a four year school. They allow students the opportunity to still receive a higher education. I think people should do more research on community colleges to understand how much they can contribute to society.
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The paragraph describing Mellow and Pollard’s personal information is not needed. This information is not important when it comes to telling someone why community colleges are the best. By telling the reader that they are both presidents of community colleges the reader may think that is the reason why they are saying it. That they are just telling you this because they are getting paid to do so. If they were to leave this out I believe this article would be more effective.
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It is important that Mellow and Pollard give insight on their personal backgrounds so the reader gains the idea that the authors contain an abundance of knowledge on the topic they are discussing. Since the authors both hold the title of President at a community college, it is obvious that they know what they are talking about. This information is important to the article beccause it shows the reader that the authors are educated in what they are writing about. Without background information about the authors, a reader of this article may question or think it is biased because the article favors the idea of students taking the route of attending a community college. By giving readers insight on the knowledge the authors contain about community college, the reader can trust what the authors are writing about.
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Mellow and Pollard’s belief that community colleges are vital to the United States is supported by the fact that community colleges provide an affordable education to all individuals. The authors’ claim that the vitally to the country stems from their openness to everyone; community colleges do not have restrictions on what individuals are allowed to enroll nor are they outrageously expensive so that only upper middle and high class individuals can attend outside of scholarship offers like many universities. They also allow for students attending to have flexible schedules, so that they can have a job while receiving an education and take only classes specific to their major or skills requirement. Elaborating on these statements to provide statistical evidence really helped the authors to have a more credible and persuasive essay.
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I think the article would have been more convincing had the authors not included their career. It made the argument seem biased and less credible. They may have thought that including their personal connection to their stance would validate their opinion. I believe that the article was convincing until they mentioned their individual attachment to the argument.
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Personal backgorund is crucial when attending community college as it gives off the knowledge one knows and shows that they know what they’re talking about. To Mellow and Pollard, they give off their personal background to show the kind of knowledge they know and what it took for them to become president of their community college. Without a personal background, people would find it difficult to believe what one person knows.
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In the article written by Mellow and Pollard, one of the benefits of community college is breaking econimc polarization. They include a short paragraph in the article summarizing their lives. They expalin that one is an African American from Urban Chicago that grew up around violence. The other one is White from rural New York who grew up around abandoned facories. This paragraph contributes to the article by proving a point. It demostrates that community colleges do not exculisivy their students to a only one certain group. Students from different demographics and social class come in order to learn and better themselves to help brighten their future. Without that information it might not have made a big impact on the reader.
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Mellow and Pollard believe community collages is vital because it gives people opportunities. Its affordable and is one of the cheapest ways to get an education in America. Community college is a place that is a very diverse environment that allows people from different ethnic backgrounds to receive an education. Their argument as to why community college wasn’t to convincing but it was not bad but I feel they could give more insight or details into their reason why community college is vital for America.
Gail Mellow, Derionne Pollard. Community colleges can heal a divided America. Balitimoresun.com. 2017
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The use of the word “opportunity” in this passage is used to give the impression and show readers that community college can give students the start that they need and open them up to a wide variety of opportunities. Community college is where students can get their starts, explore options, and discover their futures. The word “opportunity” is not over used in this passage because it puts an emphasis on what is possible for students. Community college is a great way or “opportunity” to get started in the real world and by emphasizing it the point is clearly understood.
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Mellow and Pollard see community colleges as important and necessary opportunities in America. They note that different groups attending a community college can see eye to eye as they pursue an education together. People of all backgrounds can utilize community colleges because of their lower costs and ease of access. Mellow and Pollard make a good point when addressing that community colleges have “none of the trappings of exclusivity yet all the academic prowess required to engage in the thoughtful consensus – building necessary to knit back together a divided America.” These are places where people of all race and religion can come together and form bonds without restriction.
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Pollard and Mellow discuss that the american education in community college is useful to some because it is shown that college isn’t for everyone. Community college is a less expensive route to a degree, it also allows the students to find out what they want to become, if they truly want to major in their top choice. I do agree with the writings and think that with what Community college has to offer that some people should look into it more, that they should consider it an alternative route to continue their education.
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I beleive the paragraph that describes Mellow and Pollard’s personal information is unecessary and not needed. Their is no reason why they should say that while telling why community college is the best way to go. I personally believe if they left out that then this article would be more affective and well done.
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Question 1:
Mellow and Pollard believe that community colleges are so vital to American success because they create many gateways of opportunities without creating an immense debt. They also talk about how they are vital because they are creating relationships between diverse groups. Multiple times they mention how society is becoming more divided rather than working together. They mention that for Americans to be successful it is “necessary to knit back together a divided America” and they believe this is one of the sole purposes of community colleges. Their main argument is that community colleges are cheaper, less divided, and it helps to build jobs for many students. They also argue that community colleges help to close a gap between the wealthy and the poor because students are allowed to gain an education that is similar to a public school. They believe that since community colleges are accessible to everyone more people should be willing to consider and join a community college. I believe that while community colleges are cheaper, most colleges are very diverse and can help students to become successful. Their argument was very persuasive because they used their diverse backgrounds to show how they both became successful through a community college.
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Rachel Jackson
4/24/19
Question: Why do Mellow and Pollard believe that community colleges are so vital to the U.S.? Summarize the author’s argument and do they make a persuasive case?
The authors believe that polarization in our country is at an all time high and that our communities are becoming more segregated as time goes on. As a result of this racism and inequality, there is an unequal opportunity for people that live in more rural areas to receive the same level of education as people that live in urban areas. Their argument is that community colleges are an excellent way to create a healthy dialogue for people of different backgrounds to come together and find healing. Community colleges offer an affordable, diverse setting for learning and equal opportunity since people from all walks of life attend community colleges. The authors make a very persuasive argument of why community colleges have become the one place where diverse groups meet in search of a common goal: opportunity.
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Question 1:
Mellow and Pollard strongly believes that community college is an essential part of everyone’s life because it opens doors they may not have been a possibility before. The two authors come from very different backgrounds, one from upstate New York with all the privileges of white women while the other a African American women who grew up in Chicago. They also state that community college is important because it helps to bridge the gap between many diverse groups. They also state that with community colleges being so affordable and accessible that is should encourage people to apply because they gain vital information without putting themselves in too much debt. I personally believe that the authors make a compelling argument because they talk about all of the problems that people may find and then talks about the solutions. They talk about how everyone no matter where they come from has an opportunity to be great through community college.
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I agree with Mellow and Pollard on their view of community colleges. They believe that community colleges can help close a gap between the poor and wealthy, and the uneducated and educated. As addressed in this essay, universities are extremely expensive, leave students with debt, and lack diversity. Both authors are living examples of the diversity that one can find in a community college. One is white, born and raised in rural upstate New York, whereas the other is black, born and raised in Chicago where violence is a daily occurrence. But, because community college is non-exclusive and affordable, both of them were able to attend college and gain an education. To better secure a bright and healthy future, one must attend college. Both authors explain that community colleges commemorate diversity and share one thing in common: opportunity. People who attend community college are given the opportunity to live out a life of opportunity, happiness, and success, instead of to stay and rot in their poverty-ridden cities. Both Mellow and Pollard make a persuasive case because they are living examples of their argument. Now, Mellow is the president of LaGuardia Community College in New York and DeRionne Pollard is the president of Montgomery College in Maryland.
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Community College Can Heal a Divided America
Q: Why do Mellow and Pollard believe that community colleges are so vital to the United States? What’s so special about them? Summarize the authors’ argument. Do they make a persuasive case? Why or why not?
A: Gail Mellow and DeRionne Pollard believe that polarization in the US is very high and that segregation in the communities is increasing. Therefore, this gives an unequal chance for people in different areas to receive the exact same education as others. The authors argue community college is an essential part of people’s lives because it gives people the ability to from all races/ethnicities to come together. Community college is also a cheaper way of paying for college and it is more in a diversified setting.
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Mellow and Pollard make the point that community colleges help bridge the gap between people who would otherwise be stuck in “dead end service jobs” and people who go on to get higher education degrees and get better jobs and go on to lead better lives. Community colleges are available to everybody and are much less expensive and time consuming than a four year university. People can also work a job while enrolled in community college. The authors focus on the fact that community colleges can accept everyone, despite their social, economic, or academic backgrounds, which allows for a lot of diversity in a small area. They do a great job of forwarding interaction between different groups. On top of this, community colleges also avoid other issues, such as “trigger warnings” that are present in larger universities. Mellow and Pollard do make a persuasive case, but community colleges alone do not take people into high income jobs; they are merely a step along the way. Many people with degrees from community colleges still get stuck in low income service jobs. The only way to proceed is to go through a four year program at a real university afterwards, which reintroduces all of the issues that community colleges avoid. Despite this, Mellow and Pollard are still correct that community colleges are vital to many people, but maybe not to the extent that they may claim.
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