Reimagining Access: The Community College Baccalaureate as a Pathway to Equity and Graduate School Aspirations

• In Event: Holistic Success: Institutional Influences on Community College Student Outcomes

Abstract

This paper examines how Community College Baccalaureate (CCB) programs foster academic transformation among post-traditional students. Using validation theory (Rendón, 1994) and institutional theory (Meyer & Rowan, 1977), we analyze how relational practices, such as faculty care and affirmation, work alongside organizational reforms to cultivate belonging, confidence, and graduate school aspirations. Drawing on qualitative data from four CCB sites, we highlight how structural changes (e.g., tailored supports, degree pathways) and everyday moments of affirmation jointly shape student success. Findings challenge deficit narratives by illustrating how CCB programs validate students’ lived experiences while responding to external pressures like equity mandates and workforce needs. This story reframes CCB as both an access strategy and a site of institutional transformation.

Authors

• Adrian H. Huerta, University of Southern California

• Cecilia Rios-Aguilar, University of California - Los Angeles

• Marcela G. Cuellar, University of California - Davis

• Jessica Leila Carranza, University of Southern California

• Jose Bermejo, University of Southern California

• Michael Corvera, University of Southern California

• Davis Vo, University of California - Los Angeles