Minding the Dream: The Process and Practice of the American Community College [Hardcover]

Gail O. Mellow (Author), Cynthia Heelan (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0742562921 | ISBN-13: 978-0742562929 | Publication Date: January 28, 2008

Community college leaders need honest information about what's working in the community college and need to be challenged about the things that are not. State Legislatures and Congress need updated facts to assist them in making wise funding decisions. Community college advocates need updated information to assist them in their advocacy work, and higher education programs need an updated book about community colleges to use a a basic text.

Minding the Dream: The Process and Practice of the American Community College fulfills these needs by combining an analysis of the community college with critical perspectives and applied examples of issues and programs. This highly accessible book helps readers understand community colleges' missions, problems, and triumphs.

The authors, who are both committed practitioners, extol the dream of community colleges and expose those parts that are yet unfulfilled. They tell the real story of community colleges using the research of their colleagues in the field to provide the most comprehensive and accurate picture of the contemporary state of community colleges.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Community college trustees are a passionate force behind one of America's greatest innovations -- the community college. Minding the Dream is a must-read for anyone in a position to effect change within communities and states, including higher education policymakers at all levels. (Brown, J. Noah )

The exceptional value of Minding the Dream is that it was written by insiders, giving us a relatively rare opportunity to hear from leaders who live the story they have written. They know the successes and they know the challenges firsthand. They are not afraid to address sensitive topics such as undocumented immigration and the failures of the U.S. education system from pre-kindergarten through graduate school, including those of community colleges. (George R. Boggs From The Foreword )

Minding the Dream reminds us of our past successes, and it challenges us to take the essential steps necessary to advance the community college movement. Written by passionate and committed practitioners who understand the essence of community colleges, Minding the Dream should be required reading to assure deep understanding of our unique place in the educational system, not only for current leaders, but for those to whom we will pass the baton. (Mary Spilde )

This book picks up on a new set of issues on which the future of the communitiy college now seems to turn....Its vision and passion are appealing....Many of the chapters will be eye-openers for people not fully immersed in the community college world. (Change )

For 11.6 million students nationwide on over 1200 campuses, community colleges serve a uniquely valuable niche. They provide first-rate education to aspiring Americans, they grow the middle class and they energize our democracy. (Senator Charles E. Schumer )

About the Author

Gail O. Mellow is president of LaGuardia Community College. She serves on several national higher education boards and commissions, including the American Association for Higher Education, the American Council on Education, and the American Association for Community Colleges.

Cynthia Heelan is the former president of Colorado Mountain College. She is the president of Cynthia Heelan & Associates, an educational consultancy group, and an adjunct faculty member at the Fielding Graduate University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (January 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0742562921
• ISBN-13: 978-0742562929
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #537,037 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elegance for a Potentially Mundance Subject, June 18, 2008

By 

Roy J. Winkler "First Person Gamer" (Anderson, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Minding the Dream: The Process and Practice of the American Community College (Hardcover)

These authors take a subject that has been the topic of many papers and make it entertaining enough for even the casual reader. Of particular note are the examples used for the principles being elaborated. This book is worth a read if you are interested in the future of this country.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, February 6, 2011

By 

Christina A. Brown "Christina B. W." (Florida) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Minding the Dream: The Process and Practice of the American Community College (Hardcover)

This book provided a useful and comprehensive review of the structures of community colleges and the pressing issues that they are facing from government, local constituents, and the internatinalization of education. It was a worthwhle read, and i'd recommend it to anyone interested in commmunity colleges.