Today, as I was driving through North County, I passed the St. Louis Community College campus, and a wave of memories hit me. When I lived out here, they provided quality childcare for my kids. It wasn’t free—and for my budget at that time, it was pricey—but the care was excellent. It gave me peace of mind at a moment when I was trying to build a life and a career.
I also remembered the early stretch of my career when I was in business school and needed a math course—calculus, statistics, something in that family. I took it at the community college to supplement my coursework at my main university. That experience stayed with me. The community college was accessible. The professors were practical. They genuinely wanted you to win. They did everything they could to help you understand the material and take the next step forward.
Passing that building reminded me how essential community colleges are—how they reach into neighborhoods, catch people at different stages of life, and offer pathways for young people, returning adults, and anyone trying something new. They are anchors of opportunity.