April is Community College Month, a national moment to shine a spotlight on the vital role community and technical colleges play in both local communities and the nation’s workforce.
And in 2026, that role feels more urgent than ever.
At Front Range Community College, our innovative edge comes from creating a dynamic learning environment that continuously evolves to support the professional growth of our students and their careers. We are designing and expanding access to responsive and high-impact programs that reflect the diversity of our students and our academic excellence, while aligning with the needs of Colorado’s evolving workforce.
Community Colleges Bridge the Gap
Rapid advancements in technology, particularly artificial intelligence, are leading students and their families to question the value and cost of traditional higher education. Within this landscape, community colleges continue to offer something essential: accessible pathways that actually connect people to opportunity. This year’s theme for Community College Month, “The Smartest First Step. The Strongest Next Step.” reflects that.
The Smartest First Step
For some students, community college is where they begin. It’s the smartest first step into higher education.
Starting at FRCC is often the smartest first step because it combines strong academic pathways with robust support systems and major cost savings. For first-generation students in particular, FRCC’s TRIO Student Support Services provide true “wraparound” support—offering academic advising, mentorship, financial literacy coaching, transfer planning and a built-in community designed specifically to help students navigate college for the first time.
At the same time, FRCC is built for transfer success: students who complete an associate degree can transfer up to 60 credits to any Colorado public university, often entering as juniors, with outcomes comparable to or better than students who started at four-year schools.
Financially, it’s one of the most efficient pathways into higher education—tuition is less than half the cost of a university, many students avoid loans entirely and completing the first two years at FRCC can save thousands of dollars while still leading to the same bachelor’s degree.
The Strongest Next Step
For others, it’s a return, a pivot or a way to build new skills. It becomes the strongest next step, leading to lasting economic mobility. For many, community college education is the transition that leads to a life-changing outcome: a direct path into a stable, meaningful career.
FRCC is also a strong entry point for adult learners and career changers because its programs are designed around real-life responsibilities and fast transitions into the workforce. The college offers flexible formats, including online, evening and hybrid classes, so students balancing jobs or families can still progress toward over 200 degrees and certificates in high-demand fields.
For those looking to switch careers quickly, FRCC’s nationally recognized apprenticeship programs let students earn while they learn, combining paid, on-the-job training with classroom instruction, mentorship and industry credentials in fields like health care, manufacturing and IT.
Real-life Applications
This year’s Community College Month theme played out in a very real way during a recent panel, “Innovation in CTE: Advancing Belonging Through Career Pathways,” at FRCC’s PRISM Summit. The conversation focused on Career and Technical Education, and how intentionally these programs connect education to real careers while also supporting students as whole people.
What is Career Technical Education?
Early in the panel, Spring Semidei, allied health faculty member, put it simply: “CTE is a program that allows the students to be career-ready as soon as they complete the program.”
That idea—career-ready from day one—is the “strongest next step” in action. Students are preparing to walk straight into the workforce.
But this focus on outcomes doesn’t come at the expense of support. It’s the opposite. There’s a strong emphasis on walking alongside students from start to finish.
“We take them from day one all the way to their graduation,” Spring says.
There’s also a lot of intentional space for students to learn by doing—and by not getting it perfect right away.
A Place to Learn From Mistakes
“We’d rather them mess up with us before they go out into the industry,” says Lauren Houser, surgical technology program director at FRCC’s Larimer Campus.
That mindset creates an environment where students can build confidence before the stakes are higher.
And confidence came up reputedly, with panelist Joanna Yaromy, integrative health program director at FRCC’s Larimer Campus, calling a lack of it the biggest obstacle she sees students face.
Many students in CTE programs are balancing work, family and school or coming back to education after time away. According to Joanna, they’re capable, but they don’t always see that right away.
Industry Connections: Where Students Become Employees
It is not only our innovative programs that make FRCC the smartest first step and strongest next step; our ability to build strong partnerships and innovate to support the Colorado economy are also critical. Working closely with industry helps our students make career connections with real-world employers that jump-start their futures.
Every FRCC CTE program works closely with employers that are looking to build their workforce, as well as with students seeking to develop new skills. Whatever the industry—manufacturing or IT, education or health care—we know what businesses are looking for. And we give our students the training and hands-on experience they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
Feeling Like They Belong
“Our program is not really focused on you getting an A—we want you to get it wrong here… so that when you are ready to go out into the industry, you feel confident,” says Andrea Graves, health information technology program director at FRCC’s Westminster Campus.
Joanna emphasized a guiding principle for the whole conversation: “Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
The panel also didn’t shy away from the realities students are dealing with.
“A big barrier [for students] is just needing to survive,” says Justin Twist, academic advisor.
Surviving can include juggling financial pressure, family responsibilities and the stress of trying to hold everything together.
A Flexible Environment
Andrea emphasized that world events and personal challenges shape how students show up in the classroom.
Most importantly, these programs are designed with that reality in mind.
There’s structure, but also flexibility. There are high standards, but also strong support systems.
“We have to hold to those accreditation standards… We teach them how to succeed without lowering our standards,” says Brandi Peavy, pharmacy technician program director at FRCC’s Westminster and Larimer campuses.
Finding Community
Finally, there’s the idea of community itself.
Greg Russell, EMS program director at FRCC’s Westminster campus, emphasized the importance of supporting one another in his classroom.
“All I want to know is that you’re okay,” he says.
Learning Without Limits
That sense of connection is part of what, according to many, makes community colleges different.
The “smartest first step” is about access and opportunity. The “strongest next step” is about growth and direction. And together, they reflect what community colleges do every day: help people move forward, in ways that are real and lasting.
