Community colleges offer accessible and affordable training and education to a diverse demographic of students. This brings value and economy to the rural communities in which they serve. In this episode, Cliff chats with Dr. Brent Bates, the president of State Fair Community College, to discuss how community colleges should be considered a solution and asset to community challenges and opportunities.

What you'll learn:

• Brent's journey to education and the value of exploring career opportunities
• Why being president of State Fair Community College (SFCC) is Brent's dream job and the vision he has for SFCC
• The community benefits of partnering with a community college in rural areas
• Details behind the development of the Olen Howard Workforce Innovation Center and other advanced technology education programs at the college
• The career paths available to SFCC students and the advantages that community colleges have over a four-year university
• How the demographics of community colleges tend to fluctuate with the state of the economy
• How the evolution of digital marketing has impacted SFCC's marketing strategy in recent years
• Some of the lessons SFCC learned through the pandemic and the improvements they made to their virtual learning environment