This special All In episode was recorded live at the National Council for Workforce Education’s annual conference in Norfolk, Virginia in October 2025 and features a dynamic community college student panel that set the stage for this gathering of college workforce leaders and those from partner organizations from around the country. Three standout students—Jasmine Canty of Tidewater Community College, April Langhorne of Virginia Peninsula Community College, and Evan Hernandez of the Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding—share their perspectives, insights and recommendations on important topics such as: stackable credentials, student financial supports, work-based learning, effective advising, flexible scheduling, and the value of recognizing prior learning. The student panel concludes with questions and answers from the conference attendees.

The episode follows with a short conversation with NCWE Executive Director Kate Kinder, who reflects on key themes from the conference, and discusses how NCWE elevates student voices alongside those of practitioners—and why that focus is essential in their collaborative work with colleges and partners nationwide.

In this episode host Marc Goldberg interviews Clatsop Community College graduate Emily Bates, Clatsop Community College president, Jarrod Hogue, and the Director, Office of Community Colleges and Workforce Development (CCWD) at the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Donna Lewelling.

Emily shares more about her experience as a returning student at the college including her active involvement in student government helping build community for other students while developing valuable leadership skills.

President Hogue reflects on Emily’s interview and elaborates on the critical role the college plays in a rural community supporting workforce and economic development and the value and benefit of strong employer partnerships in that work.

Director Lewelling discusses how Adult Basic Skills programs across Oregon community colleges ensure better access to pathways leading to good jobs and careers for more Oregonians through innovative career pathway programs like Integrated Education and Training (IET) and holistic student supports.

The All In: Student Pathways Forward podcast is a part of Oregon’s participation in the National Skills Coalition SkillSPAN network.

In this episode host Marc Goldberg interviews Rogue Community College (RCC) and Southern Oregon University (SOU) graduate Jahna Thompson, Rogue Community College president, Dr. Randy Weber and Director, Postsecondary Success at The Ford Family Foundation, Denise Callahan.

Jahna emphasizes the value of strong faculty mentorship and advising from her student experience at both Rogue Community College and SOU with a unique lens of having taught in her field of study at both institutions as a faculty/professor over the past year. She elaborates on her academic journey that began taking GED prep classes at RCC and after completing her Bachelor's and Master's degrees, she is currently pursuing a PhD in Immunology & Infectious Disease at Washington State University.

President Weber reflects on Jahna’s interview and describes specific college efforts through responsive programming, student supports and community partnerships that have helped increase enrollment and improve retention and completion outcomes for students, including those who enter the college taking adult education courses.

Denise highlights the Foundation’s impactful postsecondary education work across Oregon, particularly in rural communities, through Foundation investments, scholarships and research. She describes how the Foundation's work supporting over 1000 postsecondary education students annually across Oregon through scholarships helps inform the organization's policy and research work and shares more on the recently released Oregon by the Numbers report by the Foundation that offers a detailed profile for each of Oregon’s 36 counties.

The All In: Student Pathways Forward podcast is a part of Oregon’s participation in the National Skills Coalition SkillSPAN network.

In this episode host Marc Goldberg interviews Clackamas Community College (CCC) parenting student Kaytlen Thomas, Clackamas Community College president, Dr. Tim Cook and Trellis Strategies Senior Policy Strategist, Carrie Welton.

Kaytlen describes how impactful her first experience was at CCC enrolling in the GED prep program, how it shifted her perception of what the future may hold, and led her to take leadership in student government at the college advocating to address student basic needs.

President Cook reflects on Kaytlen's interview and shares more on the ROCCS initiative he is undertaking this summer - Running for Oregon Community College Students (ROCCS) - a 1500 mile run over 50 days across the state of Oregon visiting all 17 community colleges to raise awareness about challenges student face in meeting basic needs.

Carrie talks about her national and state policy work supporting postsecondary education access and completion by leveraging and integrating public benefit programs. She provides more information on the Trellis Strategies Student Financial Wellness Survey, a free resource to higher ed institutions that allows them to benchmark key student financial wellness indicators to drive institutional change, strengthen student enrollment efforts and improve student satisfaction.

The All In: Student Pathways Forward podcast is a part of Oregon’s participation in the National Skills Coalition SkillSPAN network.

This intro episode sets the stage for season 4 of the All In: Student Pathways Forward podcast which will feature students who began their college journeys enrolling in adult education courses that propelled them to pursue further education and career pathways at their respective colleges.

The All In host Marc Goldberg moderates a panel discussion with three innovative workforce development and adult education college leaders who have led impactful student-centered programs and partnerships at their institutions, across their states and at the national level – Dan Belyea, Chief Workforce Development Officer, Maine Community College System and Alfond Center, Laurie Kierstead-Joseph, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Adult Basic Education for College & Career, at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona, and Sheridan Nixon, Associate Vice Provost, Career Connected Learning, School of Workforce Education, at Dallas College.

The panelists all share insights on effective Adult Ed models that have created pathways to careers with economic mobility through workforce education at their institutions. They offer their perspectives on the value and importance of Adult Education within their communities and at their colleges and highlight strategies in how they have centered student voices to shape better programs, policies and partnerships. This engaging and inspiring conversation is the perfect way to kick off the new season of the All In podcast.

The All In: Student Pathways Forward podcast is a part of Oregon’s participation in the National Skills Coalition SkillSPAN network.

The Season 3 finale of the All In: Student Pathways Forward podcast features an engaging panel discussion with three inspiring students and graduates enrolled in or having completed high quality credential programs from different community and technical colleges: Lucy Briseno, a current student at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon; Monique Sallis, a current student at Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota, and an apprentice with Aon; and Cha Zong Yang, a graduate of Gateway Technical College in Racine, Wisconsin.

Throughout the conversation, these students share their experiences participating in innovative, high-quality credential programs at their colleges that have helped shape their career pathways. They highlight the resources, supports, and services from their respective colleges and employers that have made an impact on their progress and success. From knowledgeable, dedicated, and accessible faculty to work-based learning opportunities to available financial assistance and strong career services, the panelists offer a firsthand perspective on what makes a difference for today’s learners. The students also provide thoughtful recommendations for college leaders, policymakers, employers and other students based on their own experiences. Their insights offer a compelling call to action for strengthening pathways that connect education, employment, and lifelong success.

These three remarkable individuals previously shared their community/technical college stories and insights this past fall at national and Oregon state conferences as part of plenary student panel discussions. Cha Zong spoke at the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers (NCATC) conference in September about short-term industry recognized, advanced technology programs and unique student supports such as the Metallica Scholars Initiative.

Monique joined the student panel at the National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE) conference in October in Minneapolis on transformative workforce education programs, including apprenticeships, that offer pathways from college into careers.

Lastly, Lucy offered her perspective during the student panel at the Oregon Pathways to Opportunity statewide summit in October on the critical topic of student basic needs insecurity and elaborated on different resources and supports that can help address common student realities. The podcast conversation was an opportunity to explore these topics in more detail and culminate this season featuring students in quality credential programs.

The All In: Student Pathways Forward podcast is a part of Oregon’s participation in the National Skills Coalition SkillSPAN network and supported by the Lumina Foundation.

This episode features interviews with Klamath Community College student Reyna Cunningham, the president of Klamath Community College Dr. Roberto Gutierrez and Dr. Theresa Anderson, a Senior Fellow at the Urban Institute.

Reyna, a dedicated student parent pursuing a pathway in Early Childhood Education, describes her experience in a quality non-degree career pathways credential program at the college, and highlights the importance of holistic supports for students on campus and through community resources.

President Gutierrez reflects on Reyna's interview and the broader significance of non-degree credential programs at KCC. Dr. Gutierrez discusses how critical community partnerships are, especially in rural areas, in supporting student success and economic development, and sheds light on Klamath Community College’s plans for a new childcare facility on campus to address a priority need for student parents at the college and in the overall community.

Theresa provides insights into Urban Institute’s national work focused on student parents at higher education institutions sharing more on the Data-to-Action Campaign for Parenting Students and the Student-Parent Action through Research Knowledge (SPARK) Collaborative, both initiatives helping shape more inclusive programs and policies at community colleges across the country.

The All In: Student Pathways Forward podcast is a part of Oregon’s participation in the National Skills Coalition SkillSPAN network and supported by the Lumina Foundation.

In this episode, host Marc Goldberg interviews Bishop State Community College graduate Ms. Andrea Heningburg McCants, Bishop State Community College President Olivier Charles and Ms. Michelle Burris, Fellow and Cohort Manager for The Industry and Inclusion Team at The Century Foundation.

Ms. McCants shares both of her chapters as a student at Bishop State, particularly her most recent when she enrolled in and completed a quality non-degree credential program as a working professional enhancing her skills and credentials that have opened up new business opportunities.

President Charles reflects on Ms. McCants interview and describes how the College’s non-degree credential programs meet the needs of both students and regional employers and have been designed in a supportive and inclusive way creating accelerated educational pathways for adult education students, working professionals, parenting students, recent high school graduates and other community members to quality jobs and careers in regional high demand industry sectors.

Ms. Burris offers more information about the Industry and Inclusion Cohort project that Bishop State Community College is a part of that focuses on creating better access to manufacturing careers for historically underrepresented populations including people of color and women through quality community college manufacturing programs in partnership with regional employers that are committed to broadening their talent pool and workforce.

The All In: Student Pathways Forward podcast is supported by the Lumina Foundation and part of Oregon’s participation in the National Skills Coalition SkillSPAN network.