“Community colleges do so many things – it’s a multi-faceted mission,” NC Community College System President Peter Hans says in the accompanying video. “When people learn the entire list, they’re often astounded.”

Hans recounts the many functions community colleges perform, including:

• The two-year associate degree that prepares a student to transfer to a four-year institution;
• Various forms of workforce training;
• Completion of high-school diplomas;
• Career & College Promise partnerships with high schools to help students earn college credits;
• English language acquisition;
• Customized job training for local employers;
• Small Business Centers; and
• Apprenticeship programs.

In addition, the colleges provide services ranging from lectures to concerts to square-dancing classes. It’s why they’re called community colleges, after all.

“We’re proud of that connection to our hometowns,” Hans says.