Unexpected Influence

Women Who Helped Shape the Early Community College Movement

In the second half of the 20th century, men and women of uncommon vision and commitment drove the phenomenal growth of that uniquely American institution of higher education, the community college. Students of this movement are well aware of the contributions of the men who served as college presidents, researchers, and national leaders – but what women made significant contributions that have not before been brought to light?

Mildred Montag envisioned and implemented community-college based programs to train nurses. Dorothy Knoell used her prodigious research skills to show that community colleges prepare students well to succeed after transfer. Mildred Bulpitt and Carolyn Desjardins helped create and run leadership workshops that resulted in hundreds of women moving up the administrative pipeline. And a dynamic group of women were behind the successful replication of community-based colleges through the establishment of the American Indian tribal colleges.

These stories and a dozen more are captured in this book. Those who are familiar with community colleges will welcome having these stories documented at last, and those new to the field will be inspired by how these women came to exert such “unexpected influence” on these remarkable educational institutions.