U.S. community college students can participate in conferences

While academic conferences and debates are more frequent at the graduate level, students enrolled in U.S. community colleges, including individuals from abroad, may also have a chance to participate in intellectually stimulating events.

Some issues - such as the new Arizona immigration law - are best dealt with in the nation's law schools due to their complexity and specialization. However, topics surrounding environment and sustainability have become such an important part of the daily life that colleges of all levels have begun to engage their faculty and students in discussions and idea-sharing.

Earlier this month, more than 500 participants converged in Boston to participate in Bunker Hill Community College's Annual Massachusetts Community College Conference on Teaching, Learning and Student Development. Titled "Student Success," the event included sessions focusing on three distinct areas, including sustainability, the digital campus and the culture of student engagement.

During the conference, the college's president Mary Fifield noted the institution's commitment to sustainability, as demonstrated by the venue of the conference, which is the BHCC Health and Wellness Center dedicated on March 23rd. The center is expected to earn a LEED Gold designation from the U.S. Green Building Council, which sets the nationally accepted benchmarks for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

Recent estimates suggest that community colleges enroll close to half of all U.S. undergraduates.