Strategic Plan

Cumberland County College is embarking on the development of a new five year Strategic Plan for the period 2012 to 2017. Under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Isekenegbe, CCC is seeking ways to engage, inspire and transform our students, our institution, and our community. This plan will be collaborative and community-based; it will be built upon a foundation of feedback and data collected from valued stakeholder groups throughout the community, and it will guide the direction, scope, and type of work undertaken as we seek to continuously improve our educational and community services.

Community engagement and sharing the assets and resources of the college in order to develop partnerships will be the hallmark of this strategic planning process. The college wants to be positioned as a cornerstone of the Cumberland County community – a resource for raising the quality of life and economic viability of this remarkable region. To do so, we must actively involve all sectors of the region not only to share assets and resources, but to further learn from the people we serve exactly what is needed and how to partner to achieve success.

The education, business and nonprofit sectors are all asked to share their perspectives on what is needed to move Cumberland County forward to its true potential and how the college can be an integral part of initiatives that will facilitate this growth. Open communication and authentic dialogue will mark this planning process and will be the foundation of moving from the planning stage to implementation.

This planning process began with internal and external scans of current conditions prevalent at both the college and Cumberland County. The data from these scans and surveys of faculty, businesses, and recent graduates have informed the planning process and led to three interlocking themes to guide the development of the strategic plan and implementation goals:

Now we are seeking the direct input of the community stakeholders to both develop the plan and its goals and to help carry out the plan once it is adopted. It is understood that the future of the college and the future of the county are intertwined. To create a skilled, well-prepared workforce, attract new business and industry, and raise the standard of living the college needs to know the types of academic programs and business training deemed necessary by the business sector. With career pathways developed in conjunction with local secondary schools, educators must offer their assessment of skills and academic disciplines offering the promise of family- sustaining employment to new graduates. That information can only come from interactive dialogue with the community we serve. To be succinct, we need the advice of those outside the college if we are to truly make our products compatible with the potential for growth and greatness in our community.

The guidance we have received from community members serving on one or more of our advisory boards has been invaluable in assuring our energy and resources are committed to the right academic curricula and professional training. Input from these community members has helped us to modify our course requirements and academic focus while engaging the college directly in the economic development goals for the region. We have developed customized training for business, government, and industry based on feedback from the community.

It is this same type of input that we seek now as we develop a long range course of action for Cumberland County College. For the plan to be effective we must have collaborative relationships across the county. These relationships will enable the college to provide academic and career opportunities that will match the skill sets and knowledge base required by our employers. Most importantly for our future, having a direct connection with our community will help us to provide a realistic opportunity of retaining our talented young people within Cumberland County.

We thank you in advance for committing your most valuable resource, your time, to our strategic planning effort. Your input will be an invaluable resource for the future of CCC and Cumberland County.