2025 Student Success Summit - September 18 - 19

MCCA is thrilled to welcome members from the Community College Research Center (CCRC) to join us as keynote presenters and session facilitators for the 2025 Summit. This year’s theme strongly resonates with the release of CCRC’s newly published book, More Essential than Ever, which explores the evolution and ongoing importance of implementing guided pathways, including:

Aligning programs to good jobs and/or transfer opportunities within their major.
Active and experiential teaching and learning.
Career and college program exploration and planning.
On-time and affordable completion support.
Equitable on-ramps from high school.

Additionally, the Summit will feature up to 18 breakout sessions centered around these key frontiers for strengthening community college pathways.

Deadline to register is September 8, 2025

Schedule at a Glance

Thursday, September 18
8:30 – 9:00 AM	(Optional) Pre-Conference check-in
9:00 – 11:00 AM	(Optional) Pre-Conference
10:00 AM	Summit Check-In Opens
11:00 - 11:30 AM	Brunch for all attendees
11:30 AM – 1:15 PM	Opening, Keynote Address, and Leadership Academy Graduation
1:30 – 2:30 PM	More Essential than Ever Breakout Sessions
2:45 – 3:45 PM	Leadership Academy Project Breakout Sessions
4:00 – 5:00 PM	Reception and CCRC Book Signing

Friday, September 19
8:00 – 8:30 AM	Breakfast for all attendees
8:30 – 9:30 AM	Opening Plenary Session
9:45 – 10:30 AM	Concurrent Breakout Session #1
10:45 – 11:30 AM	Concurrent Breakout Session #2
11:45 AM – 12:30 PM	Concurrent Breakout Session #3
12:30 PM	Summit Adjourns

Agenda and Resources

Preconference Session

Thursday, September 18, 2025 | 9:00 am-11:00 am | Room 201

Transforming Dual Enrollment for Equity and Career Pathways

Join national experts from the Community College Research Center (CCRC) for an interactive pre-conference session focused on the Dual Enrollment Equity Pathways (DEEP) Framework. DEEP is a research-based framework for rethinking dual enrollment as a more equitable on-ramp to college and career success, particularly for students who have been historically underserved and might not otherwise continue their education after high school. READ MORE

Presenter Information:
John Fink | Senior Research Associate and Program Lead | Community College Research Center
Aurely Garcia Tulloch | Senior Research Assistant | Community College Research Center

Brunch Available

Thursday, September 18, 2025 | 10:30 am-11:30 am | Rooms 1-6

Session Descriptions and Speaker Information

Thursday, Sept. 18

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Friday, Sept. 19

TITLE HERE Discussion Sessions I Discussion Sessions II

Opening Session

Thursday, September 18, 2025 | 11:30 am-1:15 am | Room 201

Summit Welcome and Remarks

Welcome and opening updates on MCCA projects and initiatives, with a focus on student success priorities for 2025–26, highlighting key areas of work and a preview of what lies ahead.

Presenter:
Evan Pauken | Director of Student Success | Michigan Community College Association | More Info

Keynote Address: More Essential than Ever

We are honored to welcome Davis Jenkins, Hana Lahr, and John Fink from the Community College Research Center (CCRC) as keynote speakers for the 2025 Student Success Summit. Their new book, More Essential Than Ever, is based on a decade of research on guided pathways reforms in over 100 colleges nationally since the release of Redesigning America’s Community Colleges in 2015. They argue that to achieve stronger student outcomes—and to recruit and retain more students in a highly competitive market—colleges must not only remove barriers to completion but also strengthen pathways to student goals after graduation, thus making their investment of money, time, and effort worth it. This presentation will detail five next frontiers for how colleges can help all students explore, enter, and complete a program of value in a timely and affordable way.

2024-25 Leadership Academy Fellows Graduation

Join us in celebrating the capstone achievement of our 2024–25 Leadership Academy Fellows as they take the stage to mark their graduation.

Presenters:
Erica Orians | Vice President | Michigan Community College Association | More Info

More Essential than Ever Concurrent Sessions

Thursday, September 18, 2025 | 1:30 pm-2:30 pm

Frontier 1 - Align Programs to Good Jobs and Transfer in Major

Room 201

This session takes a closer look at how colleges can strengthen partnerships with employers and universities to ensure programs connect directly to good jobs and smooth transfer pathways. Participants will explore strategies for aligning curricula with labor market needs and four-year majors.

Frontier 2 - Active and Experiential Learning

Room 202

Dive deeper into practices that bring learning to life by integrating hands-on, applied, and experiential opportunities across programs.

Frontier 3 - Career/College Program Exploration and Planning

Room 203

This session focuses on reimagining the first-year experience so students can explore options, make informed choices, and develop clear plans of study. Participants will consider ways to help students gain early momentum in programs that reflect their interests and aspirations.

Frontier 4 - On-time and Affordable Completion Support

Room 204

Explore course structures, scheduling models, and embedded supports that enable working students to balance commitments while finishing programs efficiently. This session will share strategies to reduce time and cost to completion without compromising quality.

Frontier 5 - On-ramps from High School

Room 205

This session examines how rethinking high school dual enrollment can create stronger, debt-free pathways into career-connected college programs. Participants will discuss ways to expand opportunities for students who might not otherwise see themselves pursuing postsecondary education.

Leadership Academy Student Success Project Showcase

Thursday, September 18, 2025 | 2:45 pm-3:45 pm

Leadership Academy Breakouts

Advising and Student Supports + Data & Analytics

Room 201

Community Engagement + Credit for Prior Learning

Room 202

Non-Academic Supports

Room 203

Student Basic Needs

Room 204

Reception and CCRC Book Signing

Thursday, September 18, 2025 | River Concourse, Riverstreet Pub & Banquet 7-8 | 4:00 pm-5:00 pm

Dinner on Your Own

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Friday, September 19

Breakfast Available

Friday, September 19, 2025 | Banquet Rooms 1-6 | 8:00 pm-8:30 pm

Plenary Session

Friday, September 19, 2025 | Banquet Rooms 1-6 | 8:30 pm-9:30 pm

Welcome and Remarks

Join us as we kick off the second day of the Summit and set the stage for the sessions ahead.

Presenter:
Precious Miller | Program Director | Michigan Community College Association | More Info

Todd Duckett: The Inner Pathway: Purpose, Perseverance, and Progress

Former NFL Running Back and now The Reignmaker, Todd J. Duckett takes you on a powerful journey through Purpose, Perseverance, and Progress. At every phase of his life, he’s had to rewire his inner pathway. Pushing through adversity, embracing growth, and redefining excellence while living the dream. Today, he continues to rewrite his legacy in real time, offering lessons that inspire both students and leaders to do the same.

Presenters:
Todd J. Duckett | CEO | Duckett Enterprises

Concurrent Sessions I

Friday, September 19, 2025 | 9:45 am-10:30 am

Breaking Barriers: How OCC Embedded State Services to Empower Student Success

Room 201

Discover how Oakland Community College partnered with MDHHS to bring state resources directly to students. This dynamic session explores how integrated support services are boosting retention, reducing barriers, and normalizing help-seeking. Walk away with real-world strategies to launch or enhance student-centered partnerships at your own institution.

What We Know about Reconnectors

Room 202

Explore insights from Michigan's Reconnect scholarship: a recent survey of 9,500+ applicants reveals adult learner needs and interests. This session will present findings from the Michigan Center for Adult College Success's analysis and share results from a digital marketing campaign that drove 12,300+ new enrollments. Muskegon Community College will share how their adult learner navigators design their work around adult learner needs. Learn how to leverage Reconnect marketing efforts and data for your institution.

From Data to Impact: Aligning Financial Strategy and Analytics to Support Student Success (Part 1)

Room 203

In an era of tight budgets and rising expectations, community colleges are seeking smarter ways to align financial strategies with student success goals. In this two-part session, discover how to leverage two free, practical tools—NACUBO Student Success Hub and the Change with Analytics Playbook—to help foster data-informed decision-making and operationalize student‑centered financial practices. Through real-world campus examples and hands-on activities, participants will explore how to break down data silos, strengthen cross‑functional collaboration, and build a culture of data stewardship.

MiLEAP OHE & Friends: Essential Transfer Success Efforts

Room 204

Community college transfer is more essential than ever. This session will share updates on several statewide transfer success initiatives. MiLEAP Office of Higher Education (OHE) staff and involved college partners will share updates on MiLEAP OHE’s Transfer Success Project, including introducing the State’s new Advisory Council on Transfer Success and previewing new statewide transfer pathways to be developed in 2026. MACRAO leadership will share updates on MACRAO’s ad-hoc committee on the Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA).

From Placement to Persistence: Strengthening Student Success Through Corequisites and Guided Self-Placement

Room 205

Across Michigan, colleges are transforming how students enter and succeed in gateway English and math courses through guided self-placement (GSP) and corequisite supports. This interactive panel will feature national and state perspectives on what’s working, common challenges, and strategies for continuous improvement in developmental education reform, while unveiling a new GSP toolkit designed to help campuses implement and refine placement reforms. Participants will leave with practical insights, data considerations, and actionable ideas to strengthen equitable student outcomes on their campuses.

Happily Ever After: Marrying Education and Work for Next-Gen Students

Governor's Room

For today’s students, success depends on more than just what happens in the classroom—it requires meaningful opportunities to connect learning with the real world. This session highlights how community colleges are creating powerful “marriages” between education and work through apprenticeships, internships, work-based learning, and volunteer experiences. A panel of innovative practitioners will share strategies for expanding these opportunities, strengthening employer partnerships, and ensuring students leave college both credentialed and career-ready.

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