By: Ursula Perano|Opinion
There shouldn’t be a stigma against community colleges, but it would be foolish to deny that there is.
In my final semester at Tallahassee Community College, I can fully attest that the student body here is thoughtful, insightful and as generally intelligent as the rest. My professors have been phenomenal, the clubs are diverse and well established, the campus truly is stunning and the administration keeps students in mind.
But, the fact is that no matter how much I am aware of this, employers, for internships and jobs alike, often aren’t. The chances are painfully high that when they see “community college” on a resume they don’t think of any of those things, but instead resort to the common stereotype of community college students: that they are just university-rejects.
Amongst Florida’s 28 two-year colleges, TCC resides as one of only five schools left with the word “community” still in its name. While the majority of the remaining schools are titled as “state” colleges, a name that can occasionally face the same prejudices, eight of the schools have made moves to eliminate judgment-by-name entirely.
Valencia College, Chipola College, Miami Dade College, Saint Petersburg College, Florida Gateway College, Santa Fe College, Broward College and the College of Central Florida all exist as two-year institutions, despite the fact that it is not blatant in their names. Serving as a significant advantage to their students, who are able to put their school’s name on their professional profiles and materials with less fear of judgment.
Of course, the name doesn’t hide a school’s status entirely. If employers feel so obliged they can obviously still look up a school and learn about its offerings. However, the point is that most will not feel inclined to do so, at least at first glance, giving students an opportunity to not be dismissed without the chance to even get their foot in the door. Having the term “college” alone gives a degree of credibility that “community college” unfortunately does not. A principle that is exemplified by some of the nation’s top schools, such as Dartmouth College, Boston College and the College of William and Mary.
I fully recognize that changing TCC’s name to “Tallahassee College” would be a financially burdensome and timely shift, but the long-term investment would be worthwhile. Not only would this give students a higher potential for receiving internships, specifically outside of Tallahassee, but it would help their career prospects after obtaining their degrees as well. Giving the school a more connected and successful alumni base.
Additionally, as TCC has been struggling with enrollment in recent semesters, a name change could be an effective mechanism for recruiting new students. Which could provide the financial-return needed to offset the initial costs of the “community” removal.
TCC students deserve this. It is an overdue modification that would put the school on-par with other two-year institutions across the state and with colleges throughout the nation. For the sake of their chances at opportunities while still in college, as well as their future once done with their associate’s or bachelor’s degree, Eagles should be given the chance to attend a respected and accepted Tallahassee College
.
Ursula Perano is an aspiring political journalist who seeks to promote awareness and accountability in the public sphere.
