OCCRL Leads its Second Illinois Community College Leadership Institute
The Office of Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL) uses research and evaluation to improve policies, programs, and practices that enhance education and equity across the P-20 education spectrum. The 35-year initiative is a part of the Department of Education Policy, Organization & Leadership in the College of Education.
The Illinois Community College Leadership Institute, (ICCLI), sponsored by the College’s Office of Community College Research and Leadership and the Illinois Community College Board, took place in May for the second year in a row. The theme was “Community Colleges, Data Literacy, and Equitable Leadership.”
The Institute began in 2023 under the direction of OCCRL Director Lorenzo Baber and strives to support the upward trajectory of community college leaders and offers a forum for staving off the inevitable community college “leadership void” as Baby Boomers continue to retire, Baber says. Presenters related a wealth of research and policy knowledge for participants to utilize long after the Institute ends. Attendees discussed issues in groups, forging potential career-long connections.
“The 48 community colleges in Illinois are spread throughout the state, especially in rural areas, making it challenging to find equity-minded individuals to be in community with,” says H.M. Kuneyl, a third-year doctoral student and coordinator of ICCLI. “Our goal is to help facilitate that sense of community for these scholars and practitioners who are shining as leaders.”
Through scholarship and public engagement OCCRL continues to inform policies and leadership across postsecondary contexts. With local, state,and national stakeholders, OCCRL influences the increasing role of community colleges in sustaining equitable pathways in higher education.
We intentionally center our work around elevating educational practices that support underserved student populations and historically marginalized communities. We remain committed to extending the mission of the College of Education to connect engaging research with inclusive practices,” says Baber.