New Community Colleges Association Leader Cites Knowledge Gained in U of A Program

The new executive director of the Arkansas Community Colleges association earned her doctoral degree in education online from the University of Arkansas.

Collin Callaway of Little Rock uses knowledge from her Doctor of Education in adult and lifelong learning in her new position leading the association. Callaway began working 17 years ago for what was formerly the Association of Two-Year Colleges. In July, the nonprofit membership organization representing all 22 of the state's public community and technical colleges announced her selection as executive director.

"I knew this was where I wanted to dedicate my career," she said. "We don't always control timing of things or circumstances; right now, it just feels like all of the stars lined up. It's a great time, great place, great team, really supportive board."

Callaway's contributions at ACC include spearheading advocacy efforts during legislative sessions, directing programmatic research and advocacy of the nationally recognized Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative, and leading policy evaluations and support for state financial aid programs.

"Dr. Callaway has a history of uniting stakeholders to develop policies that support ACC member colleges and their students," said Dr. Cathie Cline, Chair of the ACC Board of Directors. "She is known and respected as a key player in improving outcomes for community college students and advancing workforce training in Arkansas."

Cline is chancellor of the University of Arkansas-East Arkansas Community College. The ACC board is made up of the chancellors or presidents of each member institution.

As executive director, Callaway will be responsible for collaborating with government agencies, educational institutions, private foundations, and others on projects that improve the ability of the member colleges to meet the needs of their students, as well as the needs of their local business and industry leaders.

 

Doctoral Degree

The Doctor of Education in adult and lifelong learning is one of a few hybrid programs offered by the University of Arkansas that combine online classes with in-person classes. Students are required to come to the Fayetteville campus three times each fall and spring semester for class with the rest of the coursework delivered online. It is offered by the College of Education and Health Professions.

"I finished the program in 2020 during COVID," Callaway said. "I did my (dissertation) defense via Zoom, finished, shut the laptop, got up and emptied the dishwasher, just like everybody else graduating that year, I'm guessing."

Two areas of the program are helping her in the new role, Callaway said, and one was not what she learned in class but what she experienced.

 

First, Honing Leadership Skills

Kit Kacirek was Callaway's adviser. Kacirek recently retired as associate professor in the program and formerly served as program coordinator. She developed many of the courses in the master's and doctoral programs. Callaway credited Kacirek's classes on how to approach leadership with sharpening her skills. A key is expanding your view, she said.

"She taught us how to approach leadership by viewing situations from a broader, higher angle, how to see the bigger picture of what's happening and how things go together," Callaway said. "We learned from Kit how to back up, climb up a couple of steps, look from a different perspective, see what's the important stuff here. There are all these things going on and strategies that we can bring to leadership."

From her early years working for the association, Callaway knew she wanted to hold a leadership position. A doctorate was preferred for the executive director's post but not a requirement for candidates, she said.

 

Second, Being an Online Student

Having been an online student herself helps her advocate for online programs offered by community colleges, Callaway said.

Most of the 22 community colleges and technical schools in Arkansas offer online classes with more being added, she said.

"Demand for that is increasing exponentially," Callaway said. "Going through that experience myself helps me better advocate for online learning. I still hear people say it's not as good as in class. Of course, it is not impossible to have a bad experience. But that is possible both in class and on campus. To be in those shoes and understand what those students go through was helpful to me to be an advocate."

 

Advice for Others

Callaway expected to feel isolated when she started the online doctoral program, but that's not what happened.

"I thought, ‘Collin, you're going to have to trudge through it and do it,' but I was in no way isolated," she said. "I thought I was going to have to beat myself into submission to get through it. But, my program was hybrid and the bonds we formed were a really pleasant and unexpected surprise. We still talk.

"There are still ways to be connected with fellow students," she said, about the online program. "It felt like a collaborative classroom environment. To anyone considering an online program, take those opportunities to make connections with people."

She also found it easy to connect with faculty members.

"I don't know if all programs are like this, but faculty were very accessible," she said. "I never had a hard time getting hold of people; I jumped on Zoom all the time with Kit. It was a really positive overall experience for me. I didn't feel differently treated or disadvantaged. As an older learner, I do need connection."

 

State Support

Support from the state government and state agencies for community colleges has never been greater in her experience, Callaway said.

"The governor, legislators and agency leaders all are very supportive of community colleges," she said. "They see the value we bring in terms of workforce and economic development. In the past, opinions of short-term credentials were not as high, but now people are valuing all pieces of the educational puzzle in a way that hasn't happened before. There is also public support."

The public views college student loan debt unfavorably, but community college students typically have low debt as well as a relatively short time to begin good-paying jobs, Callaway said. She has seen tremendous growth in programs while the mission has remained steady since 2005 when she began working in the financial aid office at University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College. It was Pulaski Technical College until 2017 when it joined the U of A System.

"At this time in history, it's wonderful to be a community college," she said. "I saw the diversity in the student body and the programs at Pulaski Tech. But, on top of that, I saw how much people love and care about their students there. It opened my eyes to just how deeply tied to the mission people at community colleges are."

 

Community College Needs

The biggest need Callaway sees in her work with community colleges is for more faculty and staff and better compensation for faculty and staff. Many are performing multiple jobs on a salary that does not compare to what they could earn in the corporate world.

"Having more people would be really helpful to make sure all students are getting the attention they need along the way," she said. "People are stretched really thin, and it's very hard for us to compete with other industries for talent. We rely on the good feelings people get from changing lives and knowing their work has value."

 

Traditional Student

When she was nearing graduation from Hall High School in Little Rock, no one talked to her about the community college option, Callaway said.

"It wasn't on the table at all," she said. "As I got older, I was more aware of what's happening in the world and what the options are. I learned more about community colleges and the programs they offer. How they excel at both transfer options and workforce training is amazing. You can get a quick certificate on how to weld or get the basics to transfer to a four-year institution. Community colleges do all of those things and so much more."

Callaway earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Central Arkansas and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Arkansas in Little Rock. A full-time traditional student for both of those degrees, she took one year off between the two. She had never taken an online class before enrolling in the ADLL program.

"I did not have children for either of them," Callaway said. "My doctoral program was the first time for me to be a part-time student. I was a mom when I got my doctorate; managing life, being a student, there was no other possible way to do it except online."

 

Changing Emphasis

She began working directly with individuals in various settings such as juvenile court, a battered women's program and a K-12 school. She loved the educational environment but soon realized her strengths fell more on the policy and systems change side.

"That was more up my alley, and I feel like I have a broader impact in the policy and systems arena," she said. "Once I made that realization, I knew I wanted to work in higher education. I worked in the financial aid office at Pulaski Tech; that was a very difficult job. Then, I went to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, also in financial aid."

She made connections, including with Ed Franklin, who was the first executive director of the Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges from 1996 until his retirement in 2014.

"I felt immediately connected to the mission of community colleges," she said. "They spoke to my interest in helping people build better lives by reducing barriers to education, improving policies, changing systems and processes that unintentionally hold people back."

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