College’s New Strategic Plan Focuses on
Equity for All
On-trend courses give Computer Science students the opportunity for stratospheric careers
JENNIFER SCHU
Student success—and the success of all communities served by Delaware County Community College—is only possible if all students are guaranteed equitable access and support. Meeting students where they are and supporting them on their academic and career journey is at the heart of the College’s
identity and mission.
Equity for All is the focus of the College’s new three-year Strategic Plan, designed to serve as a roadmap for the next three years. It has set specific goals for the College’s future along with plans for how best to achieve them. “The role of the community college in our educational system is to serve as a space where all can come to receive a quality education. However, we can only achieve this if each person that walks through our doors has a fair opportunity to succeed,” says Harry J. Costigan, Ed.D., chief of staff and vice president for Strategic Planning. “The key is to bring an equity-minded approach to everything we do at the College to ensure that students, employees and members of the community can reach their goals here.”
Equity, engagement, enrollment, expansion and execution
Based on feedback and information gathered over the course of a year from students, faculty, staff and members of the communities the College serves, the Strategic Plan is a flexible, living document that can be responsive to unexpected situations that can arise during the next three years.
“The COVID-19 pandemic taught us that higher education can pivot quickly, that we can embrace change, and what we once thought of as impossible is absolutely achievable,” Dr. Costigan says.
One of the plan’s key tenets is accessibility to education. The College serves both Delaware and Chester Counties with six locations. In May 2023, the College broke ground on a new, 80,000 sq. ft. campus in Drexel Hill on the site of the former Archbishop Prendergast High School. With state support committed and a capital campaign underway for community support, the new campus will empower local and regional residents by providing equitable access to transfer, career and technical programs as well as community education and other resources.
Founded in 1967, the College delivers quality, affordable and responsive educational opportunities in a technologically rich and supportive learning environment. In 2024, the College continues to build upon its tradition as a respected innovator and partner to meet the education and training needs of its diverse communities, developing students’ potential to contribute to a regional workforce.
“We are committed to the communities we serve and that means reaching students where they are,” Dr. Costigan says.
An economic engine with increased focus on Chester County
With Chester County projected to be the fastest growing county in southeastern Pennsylvania over the next 30 years, the College has plans to increase its offerings at its Chester County locations in its goal to reach underserved populations. The Strategic Plan also calls for a close look at programs, offerings and course schedules to help students register for the maximum number of credits per semester toward degree and certificate completion.
With Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s strong commitment to workforce training as a key element of the state’s workforce and economic development, the College is uniquely positioned to be an agile leader in innovation and a change agent—one that is responsive and capable of fulfilling the talent needs of the regional workforce and the global economy.
Enrollment goals
Nationwide, community college enrollment was up slightly (0.5 percent) in the spring of 2023, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. A growing number of younger students—primarily dual enrolled high school students and first-year students—
contributed to the uptick. At the same time, across the U.S., heavy student loan burdens are beginning to convince students and families that community colleges offer the opportunity for students to achieve the training, education and skills they need in an economical, value-added way.
In Equity for All, the College has set a goal of increasing credit enrollment by three percent over the next three years.
“One of our main goals of expansion is to offer students the ability to fully complete programs at branch campus locations,” Dr. Costigan says. “By creating the equitable expansion of College access and success, we can foster greater inclusivity amongst our students, faculty, staff and the communities we serve.”
For more on the College’s Strategic Plan, visit dccc.edu/strategicplan2026.
MOON SHOT FOR EQUITY
Moon Shot for Equity at Delaware County Community College is a transformational initiative to improve student outcomes and close equity gaps across race, gender, financial status, and more by changing systems, organizational structures, policies, practices and behaviors. A partnership between DCCC, West Chester University and education consultant EAB in Southeastern Pennsylvania, it aims to eliminate institutional equity gaps by 2030. The work will employ evidence-based best practices implemented to create an institutionally focused and equity-minded approach to student success.
“The process involves examining the community college experience from various levels, perspectives and layers to reveal what aspects of the institution can be improved to support all the students at the College,” says Dr. Costigan. “Over the next few years, we will devote time, energy and resources to identifying the specific groups of students who are experiencing significant barriers to academic success. We will work to address these students’ singular needs and challenges and develop strategies to better support them. Every one of us at the College—faculty and staff alike—has a responsibility to help to close the equity gap.”
FOR THE INCARCERATED,A SECOND CHANCE FOR EDUCATION
Providing education in prison is proven to reduce rates of recidivism—the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend. It is also associated with higher employment rates, which improve public safety and allow former inmates to return home to their communities and contribute positively to society.
In 2022, Delaware County Community College was selected by the U.S. Department of Education to participate in a national initiative that provides education and training to incarcerated individuals. The College is one of just 75 institutions nationwide taking part in the “Second Chance Pell Experiment,” which has helped incarcerated individuals gain access to higher education and training since 2015.
To get started, collaboration was key. DCCC representatives from Recruitment and Enrollment Services, Financial Aid, Grant Services, and Curriculum and Assessment were involved, along with Richard T. McFadden Jr., Ph.D., Dean, Business, Computing and Social Science. They met with representatives from George W. Hill Correctional Facility, a county jail and prison located in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, to discuss how to best launch the program.
In spring 2023, the College began offering its first college credit course, “INT-100—Student Success,” at George W. Hill. The course is designed to assist students in their transition to college-level work by teaching proven strategies for creating greater academic, professional and social success.
“Ten inmates enrolled in the very first course, and the course information was contextualized to assist students in learning the course material and to be more relatable to real-life scenarios,” Dr. McFadden says.
Three more sections of the course quickly followed—one section in summer 2023 and another in fall 2023.
“George W. Hill Correctional Facility’s commitment to expansion of reentry programs and community outreach has been supported by Dr. McFadden. Higher education access during incarceration with continued support upon release, provides a path to success, eliminating perceived barriers,” says Kelly Shaw, program/reentry administrator.
“To enroll in a college course, the incarcerated person must have earned either a GED or high school diploma” adds Shaw. “After verifying the above credentials, the status of their case is reviewed to evaluate their length of stay in the facility. If it is probable that they will be here for the entirety of the class, they are offered the opportunity to enroll. Sentenced incarcerated persons that meet the criteria are enrolled upon request.”
According to Laura Williams, warden of the George W. Hill Correctional Facility, “The Second Chance Pell grant will provide transformative change to prepare incarcerated individuals with the essential workforce skills and credentials to successfully transition into employment as well as additional pathways.”