Community Colleges and the Future of the Humanities

San Diego PATH was implemented with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to address the shifting landscape of higher education and the value of studying the humanities to students in all fields - specifically because the arts and humanities engage us in conversations about social issues regarding race/ethnicity, gender, immigration, technology, poverty, and the environment that demand our attention. The goal is to increase transfer and continuity for students from the local San Diego Community Colleges who apply to the University of California San Diego choosing a humanities major. Our collaboration has become an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to share best practices, discuss pedagogy, and explore the role of technology in shaping education and research in the 21st century. We would like to share successes and challenges we have faced as we explore new ways to increase collaboration between 4-year and 2-year colleges, including a mentorship program that pairs graduate students with faculty at the community colleges, a cohort exploring the depth of the digital humanities, and a conference focused on ways to reclaim the vital role of education as necessary for developing critical, global citizens, rather than a tool aimed at attaining a job post-graduation.