Howard Community College Selected for National Initiative to Scale Shortened Academic Terms
COLUMBIA, MD, Oct. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Howard Community College is proud to announce that it has been selected by Achieving the Dream (ATD), a national reform network committed to advancing community colleges as accessible hubs of learning, credentialing, and economic mobility, to participate in a new nationwide effort to help state and college higher education systems scale the adoption of shortened academic terms.
"We are grateful for Achieving the Dream's continued support as we expand our accelerated pathways to success at Howard Community College," said President Daria J. Willis. "These innovative programs demonstrate our commitment to removing barriers and creating flexible options that work for our students. Accelerated pathways represent a transformative approach to community college education—one that recognizes the diverse circumstances of our learners and empowers them to achieve their educational and career goals on a timeline that works for their lives."
The Scaling Shortened Academic Terms initiative, funded by Ascendium Education Group, will support participating colleges — all of which have already taken steps toward implementing shortened terms — in accelerating their progress as a strategy to improve student outcomes and align academic structures with the complex needs of today’s learners.
Traditional 15-week semesters can pose barriers for students who balance college with work, family, and other responsibilities. Shortened academic terms offer a flexible, evidence-informed alternative that allows students to focus on fewer courses at a time, maintain momentum, and complete credentials more quickly. Research and institutional experience show that well-designed short-term structures can boost course completion rates, increase persistence, and strengthen student confidence.
Scaling such models, however, requires intentional design, strong student supports, and alignment with institutional goals. The Scaling Shortened Academic Terms initiative addresses these challenges directly — helping colleges build the capacity to design, implement, and sustain shortened terms in ways that advance student success and expand the field’s evidence base for effective reform.
Through targeted coaching, professional development, cross-state learning, and data-informed decision-making, ATD will help participating colleges embed and sustain shortened term formats in ways that enhance student momentum and credential attainment.
The Community College Research Center (CCRC) at Teachers College, Columbia University, will lead a comprehensive external evaluation of the initiative to deepen the evidence base on effective design and implementation of shortened academic terms.
“This initiative reflects the kind of whole-college transformation ATD supports across our Network,” said ATD President and CEO Dr. Karen A. Stout. “By working with states and institutions already leading this change, we can scale structures that help students — especially adults and working learners — build momentum and achieve their goals. Equally important, the evaluation led by the Community College Research Center will provide the evidence the field needs to understand which students benefit most, what conditions enable success, and how to sustain these models over time. Together with our partners and Ascendium’s support, we are expanding both the evidence and the capacity needed to make shortened terms a sustainable part of student success strategies nationwide.”
Howard Community College joins three other colleges in Maryland — Community College of Baltimore County, Montgomery College, and Wor-Wic Community College— as well as colleges in Michigan, Ohio, and Virginia as participants in the initiative.
To learn more about the Scaling Shortened Academic Terms initiative, visit https://achievingthedream.org/innovation/scaling-shortened-academic-terms/.
ABOUT HCC
Since 1970, Howard Community College (HCC) has been a preferred college choice for students and families in Howard County, Maryland. A public community college, HCC offers associate degree and certificate programs, as well as workforce development training and continuing education classes, to nearly 22,000 credit and noncredit students each year. HCC received the 2019 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s only presidential-level honor for performance excellence in organizations.
ABOUT ACHIEVING THE DREAM
Achieving the Dream (ATD) is a partner and champion of more than 300 community colleges across the country. Drawing on expert coaches, groundbreaking programs, and national peer network, the organization provides institutions with integrated, tailored support for every aspect of their work — from foundational capacities such as leadership, data, and equity to intentional strategies for supporting students holistically, building K–12 partnerships, and more. ATD calls this Whole College Transformation. Its vision is for every college to be a catalyst for equitable and economically vibrant communities. ATD knows that with the right partner and the right approach, colleges can drive access, completion rates, and employment outcomes — so that all students can access life-changing learning that propels them into community-changing careers. Follow ATD on X (Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn. To learn more, visit the Achieving the Dream (ATD) website: www.achievingthedream.org.
Grace Anastasiadis Howard Community College 443-518-1800 prmarketing@howardcc.edu
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