Preparing Rural Community College Professionals‪.‬

A limited number of universities offer graduate programs that focus specifically on preparing rural community college leaders. At the same time, community colleges are facing projections of unprecedented turnover in both administrative and instructional leadership. The rural community college is a unique educational institution which faces distinct challenges in meeting its mission in regions traditionally under-served by higher education. Future leadership in the rural community college will require innovative thinking by the colleges themselves and colleges of education to prepare students who would like careers in rural institutions. The following case study suggests innovations to help colleges of education prepare leaders for rural community colleges. Introduction