Updated
|
Learn Homesteading Skills at Your Local Community College
Homesteading is finding newfound popularity, and some community colleges are helping students live off the land once again, whether they live in a big city or rural village.

Learn Homesteading Skills at Your Local Community College

Homesteading began in this country with the Homestead Act, signed into law by President Lincoln in 1862. According to this legislation, people could obtain free land in exchange for developing a homestead farm within a set time frame. If they successfully started their farm, the land it sat upon was theirs to keep.

Although homesteading laws are no longer in effect throughout most of Canada and the United States, homesteading appears to be catching on again. We will take a look at the new definition of homesteading and visit some community colleges that are teaching students how to adopt this way of life successfully.

This video explains homesteading.

Today's Homesteading

While homesteading in the 19th century was about staking your claim to a piece of land, today's definition is more about finding self-sufficiency in a more straightforward way of life. According to Modern Homesteading Today, modern homesteaders grow their food, make their clothing, and even supply their electricity to their homes through solar or wind power. Homesteading allows individuals to abandon the break-neck speed lifestyles common today in favor of a simpler life, living off the land and growing together as a family.

Homesteading can be done in any country area, including the heart of big cities. Urban homesteading has become a popular concept as more city dwellers learn to live self-sufficiently

. . .read more

LGBT Support at Community Colleges

Updated
|
LGBT Support at Community Colleges
From scholarships to support programs, there are growing resources available at community colleges for LGBT support and encouragement.

Adjusting to college life is a difficult proposition for many high school graduates today. When you compound that challenge with the issues surrounding students of a sexual minority, the adjustment phase becomes even more complex. Many LGBT students face bigotry from peers and faculty, and hate crimes are unfortunately not uncommon for many of these young adults today.

The good news is that more colleges are reaching out to their LGBT community, providing them with support and resources to succeed in their post-secondary academic career. We will discuss a few of the hurdles that face colleges that want to provide support to the LGBT students, as well as some community colleges that have overcome those hurdles to give all their student body an equal shot at success.

Some Facts about Sexual Minorities on Campus

Sexual minorities are not an easy segment of the population for community colleges to address for a number of reasons. The first obstacle is the lack of data on just how many LGBT students might be residing on college campuses today. This is due to outdated information and the tendency for many LGBT students to hide their sexual identity from their teachers and peers. Even those who want to study the LGBT population may be hesitant to express their desires, due to a mistaken perception that they might also be gay. That stigma has affected the careers of many teachers in the field of education today.

Unfortunately, hate crimes are

. . .read more

Careers: Robotics

Updated
|
Careers: Robotics
Community colleges are paving the way for exciting careers in robotics. Learn more about the programs that could train you to be a robotics professional.

Robotics is an exciting, dynamic field that utilizes robots in a variety of industries. Robots are used in manufacturing, transportation, warehouses, safety research, mass production, and even surgery. This field offers a wide range of employment opportunities to those who are qualified. How do you earn those qualifications? Your community college has programs in robotics to train you for a lucrative career in the industry.

Robotics is the design, repair, and maintenance of robots. A robotics engineer learns a blend of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science principles to develop autonomous machines that perform a wide range of dull, dangerous, and complex tasks. Source: New England Institute of Technology

This video outlines careers in robotics.

About a Robotics Career

Best Accredited Colleges lists two common professions within the robotics industry:

  • Robotics Technicians – These professionals typically require a two-year degree and are trained on the job in apprenticeship programs, as well as through classroom study.
  • Robotics Engineers – These individuals earn a four-year degree, then usually go on to earn a graduate degree or professional certification in their field.

Both of these professions have a wide range of options within their chosen industry, including medical robots, air traffic management, and medical care. Industries in search of professionals with training in robotics include the auto industry, agriculture, and health care. Manufacturing is another area that uses robotics in

. . .read more

Community Colleges vs. State Schools: Which One Results in Higher Salaries?

Updated
|
Community Colleges vs. State Schools: Which One Results in Higher Salaries?
A recent report found that graduates from Florida community colleges earned more than their state university counterparts. Learn more about the interesting results and their implications for your future earnings.

Since he took office, President Obama has been pushing to raise the community college graduation rate to answer our sluggish workforce and economy. A recent study on the earnings of college graduates proves that the president might be right on track – at least in Florida. The study, reported in the Miami Herald, shows that community college graduates tend to earn a higher average salary after school than students graduating from state universities.

What the Numbers Show

According to figures that were included in a report to the Florida State Board of Education Meeting held in December, community college graduates who earned associate in science degrees from Florida community colleges earned an average annual salary of $47,708 right out of school. By the same token, students who graduated from one of the state's 11 public universities earned an average annual salary of just $36,552. The difference, around $11,000 per year, is not insignificant for those just starting out in the professional world, particularly those who might be graduating with a decent amount of student debt.

Graduates of vocational programs offered through community colleges also seemed to do well after graduation, with much less time invested upfront. According to a report at Community College Spotlight, students who graduated from programs that took six months or less to complete earned an average annual salary of $37 356. Those who completed certificate training in a specific industry earned an average $39,108 per year.

Edwin

. . .read more

Community College Expelled Nursing Student for Placenta Facebook Picture: The Controversy

Updated
|
Community College Expelled Nursing Student for Placenta Facebook Picture: The Controversy
A nursing student at Johnson County Community College has been expelled for posting a picture of her and a placenta on her Facebook profile. Read about the controversy and the ensuing lawsuits.

Social media and social mores have once again collided in a Midwestern controversy involving a community college and four of its nursing students. A lawsuit was filed in Kansas last week by one of the nursing students, Doyle Byrnes, charging that Johnson County Community College dismissed her without due process after she posted photographs of herself with a human placenta on her Facebook page. The college said the students behaved unprofessionally, and the school's decision to dismiss them as appropriate under the circumstances. We will take a look at both sides of the controversy in this article.

How it Happened

According to a report on Inside Higher Ed, the nursing students from the college took a trip to nearby Olathe Medical Center in November. The purpose of the trip was to learn about the functions of the placenta, the organ that supplies life-sustaining nutrients to a growing fetus inside the womb. The medical center provided a donated human placenta as an example for the lesson.

During the lesson, Byrnes and three of her classmates asked the community college instructor, Amber Delphia, if they could take photographs of the placenta in question. According to a report at the Courthouse News Service, Byrnes also told Delphia she intended to post the photographs on Facebook. Byrnes said that Delphia allowed them to take the pictures, after ensuring no indentifying information about the patient would be included in the photos. When Byrnes told her about the Facebook intentions,

. . .read more

Recent Articles

Student Success Programs That Actually Work at Community Colleges
Student Success Programs That Actually Work at Community Colleges
Discover evidence-based student success programs at community colleges for 2025, with outcomes, examples, and actionable strategies.
Best Community Colleges by Career Path in 2025
Best Community Colleges by Career Path in 2025
Explore top community colleges for career-training programs in 2025, including healthcare, IT, skilled trades and business pathways.
Dual Enrollment in High School: Benefits, Risks & Real Student Results
Dual Enrollment in High School: Benefits, Risks & Real Student Results
Explore the pros and cons of dual enrollment in high school, real outcomes for students in 2025, and how to decide if it’s right for you.