Few would argue that community college completion rates in this country are currently in the dismal range, but not all would agree on how to bring those rates up to par. One somewhat controversial initiative is striving to increase college graduation rates by placing focus in a whole new area – the rate of unplanned pregnancies among community college students. To that end, the American Association of Community Colleges has launched a national campaign to reduce unplanned pregnancy in hopes of increasing the number of students who finish a community college program.
“Make it Personal” Gathers Support
The new “Make it Personal: College Completion” campaign was initiated by the American Association of Community Colleges with financial support from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. According to USA Today, the campaign material makes its point through “edgy material” designed to speak directly to today’s community college student. The goal of the program is to encourage community college students to “make smart decisions about sex and relationships.” This particular project is geared toward young adults and strives to be non-political by avoiding controversial subjects like abortion.
According to a report at Inside Higher Ed, the campaign originally launched in 2010 and includes a twofold approach to educate college students about pregnancy planning. The first approach assists colleges with the incorporation of pregnancy planning into regular college curriculum, through classes like biology, business management and communication. To date, five colleges have received