EMBRACING THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES OF 2-YEAR COLLEGES TO EXPAND INTEREST AND PARTICIPATION IN THE GEOSCIENCES

Two-year college programs in the geosciences have a unique opportunity to serve multiple populations not easily supported within the context of four-year colleges and universities. The typical open enrollment of two-year colleges offers an opportunity for outreach to the broader community and to popularize the earth sciences. These college programs also provide a gateway for underprepared students into majors in the diverse fields of the sciences and engineering. Post baccalaureate students holding other degrees are also afforded, within the community college context, an opportunity to explore the geosciences as a prelude to pursuing graduate work at a university. Geoscience departments at two-year colleges are uniquely positioned to take on the role of expanding interest in the earth sciences by the general public and to act as a gateway for some students to enter or alter career paths in the sciences.

This role was fully embraced at Foothill College, a two-year college in the San Francisco bay area, beginning in 1990 and guided curricular offerings, community outreach programs, and collaborations with other institutions for twenty years. The curricular program for courses in Geology and Oceanography was constructed around a “hands-on” discovery-based approach. This approach allowed students to engage in science and empower them through understanding and a sense of accomplishment in each course. These courses were a mix of general education offerings, topical courses, and field-based excursions. Each class was intentionally designed to meet the needs of traditional transfer-track students, members of the general community, and the retooling of post baccalaureate students. Additional topical courses, allowed for the exploration of themes of interest to the general public, while providing greater reinforcement for students intending to major after transfer or exploring graduate programs. One of the hallmarks of the program was an open field studies curriculum that included weekend field workshops and a nine-day expedition leveraging the spectacular geologic locales of western North America. The Earth Sciences Program at Foothill College over two decades acts as a model for mission-based curricular design targeting the unique setting and populations served by community colleges nationwide.