RCCI Philosophy
Rural communities are the source of our natural resources and many of our values.
Rural people deserve opportunities to participate in America's prosperity, but much of rural America is threatened by a cycle of economic decline. Job loss leads to population loss and young people leave home after high school or college for lack of job opportunities. Others fail to pursue an education because they do not see it leading to a job. Meanwhile, in other rural areas, rapid growth threatens to overwhelm traditional culture, while low-income residents fail to reap the benefits of the expanding economy.
Rural America has few institutions other than community colleges that can help build a viable economy and educate people for a better life.
Dual RCCI Goals: Economic Development, Access to Education
The RCCI stresses economic development and access to education as concurrent goals because both are needed to have an impact on poverty in distressed rural regions.
Economic development can create jobs, income and wealth. But economic development often fails to benefit poor people. Even in a growing economy, people who lack education and skills required by an increasingly demanding workplace will not get good jobs.
Education and training are essential to help individuals gain access to good jobs, wherever they choose to live. But without a strong economy, rural people must leave their communities to find work.
The link between economic development and access to education in poor rural regions is especially important because in these areas low levels of educational attainment and high poverty are barriers to development that must be addressed simultaneously if the local economy is to thrive.
Rural community colleges are uniquely positioned to enhance economic and educational opportunities in their regions. Trusted by the public, private and nonprofit sectors and valued by all social classes, they can provide a safe, neutral place for mobilizing community engagement. In many communities, they are the only institutions with the stature and flexibility to provide leadership for regional development.
RCCI Approaches to Innovation
During the eight-year demonstration phase, RCCI included these elements:
Learning/Capacity Building – Participating colleges were exposed to new ideas through institutes for college and community team members, technical assistance, field trips, and support for faculty and staff development. Many of the educational resources used are available online or from MDC.
Testing Strategies
– Colleges received modest planning and implementation grants to test
new approaches to economic development and expanded educational access.
Learnings were disseminated through RCCI institutes,
publications, and videos.
New Alliances
– The Initiative helped reduce the isolation of geographically remote
colleges and communities. It laid the foundation for a permanent network
of rural community colleges (the Rural
Community College Alliance) which will provide ongoing support,
learning, and advocacy.
Conceptual Framework
To learn more about the RCCI vision and experience, please order a copy of Expanding Economic and Educational Opportunity in Distressed Rural Areas: A Conceptual Framework for the Rural Community College Initiative by contacting lmckinnie@mdcinc.org. This publication is also available online in PDF format.