BHCC President Pam Eddinger Highlights Community Colleges' Expanding Role in Student Success
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
In a recent episode of the EdUp Innovation podcast featuring Dr. Brad Fuster, President Pam Eddinger, co-editor of Beyond the College Walls: Partnerships and the Future of Community College Reform, discussed how community colleges are redefining student success through deeper community engagement and strategic partnerships. Drawing on her 14-year tenure at Bunker Hill and her previous presidency at Moorpark College, Eddinger emphasized that today's students often need support systems that extend well beyond academics, including access to childcare, transportation, healthcare, housing assistance, and career guidance.
Eddinger argued that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a shift in how colleges view their role, revealing the need for stronger collaboration among educational institutions, employers, nonprofits, and community organizations. She highlighted Bunker Hill's framework for student success, which emphasizes guided pathways, comprehensive onboarding, individualized academic planning, and experiential learning opportunities. According to Eddinger, these interventions help restore the social and informational advantages often available to more privileged students through family and community networks.
Looking ahead, Eddinger called for a fundamental rethinking of college-employer relationships. Rather than acting solely as talent suppliers, she urged colleges to engage employers as co-designers of educational programs and workforce pathways. She also stressed the importance of fostering cultures of innovation within institutions by encouraging faculty collaboration, experimentation, and intelligent risk-taking. Her message underscored a broader vision for community colleges as catalysts for both individual upward mobility and community prosperity.