For years, the story told about community colleges has been incomplete, shortchanging the students who need these institutions most. From workforce training to college degrees, community colleges are the hometown provider of job-training for students and employers across the state. Yet traditional higher education metrics have long overlooked much of that impact. 

This September, in honor of Workforce Development Month, we launch a three-part series to set the record straight, starting with new data that proves what we've always known: Arkansas's community colleges are delivering real results for real people.

When we look at the students in our allied health programs across Arkansas's community colleges, I see the incredible future of healthcare in our state. These are the students in critical healthcare workforce training programs who will provide continuous care for our families, respond to emergencies, and keep our communities healthy. But here's what many people don't see: the enormous challenges these students face just to stay in school.