Unexpected Influence: Women Who Helped Shape the Early Community College Movement

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In the second half of the 20th century, men and women of uncommon vision and commitment drove the phenomenal growth of that uniquely American institution of higher education, the community college. Students of this movement are well aware of the contributions of the men who served as college presidents, researchers, and national leaders but what women made significant contributions that have not before been brought to light Mildred Montag envisioned and implemented community-college based programs to train nurses. Dorothy Knoell used her prodigious research skills to show that community colleges prepare students well to succeed after transfer. Mildred Bulpitt and Carolyn Desjardins helped create and run leadership workshops that resulted in hundreds of women moving up the administrative pipeline. And a dynamic group of women were behind the successful replication of community-based colleges through the establishment of the American Indian tribal colleges. These stories and a dozen more are captured in this book. Those who are familiar with community colleges will welcome having these stories documented at last, and those new to the field will be inspired by how these women came to exert such unexpected influence on these remarkable educational institutions.

Reviews

The women profiled in Unexpected Influence answered the call to leadership in the nations community colleges with neither fanfare nor credit. It is because of their service that millions of students have benefited from this uniquely American opportunity. This book is critical to understanding our institutional history and to ensuring that we respect the valuable contributions of these courageous women now and for generations to come. -- Walter G Bumphus, president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges
As Anne-Marie McCartan notes, the names of men who influenced the development of the American community college are an integral part of community college history. Finally, thanks to her, we have a work that presents the stories of some of the women who were also influential in shaping the community college in the last half of the 20th century and who helped position community colleges as access points for those previously considered outsiders to higher education. -- Beverly L. Bower, Director of the Bill J. Priest Center for Community College Education at the University of North Texas
As a scholar of community college leadership, I find McCartans book Unexpected Influence to provide refreshing testimony to those typically left out of history and left on the marginsnamely women.The women highlighted in the volume provide examples of leadership that have stood the test of time and should be recognized for their contributions to community colleges. -- Pamela L. Eddy, Professor of Education, The College of William & Mary

Author Bio

Anne-Marie McCartan worked in the field of higher education for 40 years, many of those with community colleges at the campus and state-policy level. Most recently she served as executive director of the national Council of Colleges of Arts & Sciences.