Community College Awareness Month Toolkit (April 2026)
Dallas College: Future Ready Campaign Overview
Start Here
- Review the campaign overview
- Use weekly messaging and social posts
- Download graphics and videos
- Share content using #FutureReady #CCAM #DallasCollegeProud
Campaign Overview
Community College Awareness Month is a nation-wide celebration of the impact community colleges have on students, families and local economies. At Dallas College, it’s an opportunity to showcase how we are transforming lives and strengthening communities across North Texas.
Throughout April, we will spotlight the people, programs and partnerships that make our college a driving force for opportunity in the region. This year’s theme, “Future Ready,” reflects both who we are and where we are going, as we celebrate our 60th anniversary with a renewed commitment to innovate, adapt and lead.
Each week, we will highlight how Dallas College is empowering our community, reimagining the college experience, driving real workforce solutions and shaping what’s next for North Texas. Together, these stories demonstrate why Dallas College is the smart choice for students and a vital partner in the region’s future of education.
How to Use This Toolkit
- Use weekly messaging for emails, newsletters and social posts
Incorporate data points into presentations and materials
Share campaign content using provided photos and videos
Follow weekly themes to stay aligned
Link to Campaign YouTube Page
Link to Photos
Link to Press Release
Key Message Pillars
Week 1 – Hub for the Community
- Dallas College is where education, workforce training and community support come together to create pathways to opportunity.
- With campuses and centers strategically located across North Texas, Dallas College meets students where they are, removing barriers to access and connecting communities to the resources they need to succeed.
- This approach reflects the college’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities that lead to high-demand, high-wage careers.
- Data Points
- 3.3 million students served since 1965, or 60 years
- Total annual impact = $5.1 billion
- For every $1 invested, society gains $15.90 in added income and social savings
- 11 Workforce & Training Centers
- 7 Campuses located throughout Dallas County
Social Media Posts
Post 1:
Dallas College is where education, workforce training and community support come together. This Community College Awareness Month, we’re highlighting how we connect North Texas to opportunity, meeting students where they are removing barriers to access and connecting communities to the resources they need to succeed.
#FutureReady #DallasCollege #CCAM
Post 2:
From classrooms to communities, Dallas College is a hub for opportunity across North Texas. With campuses and centers located where access matters most, we’re helping students, families and communities thrive.
#FutureReady #CCAM
Week 2 – The Future of College: “Building the 22nd Century College”
- We’re not waiting for the future; we’re building it. Dallas College is reimagining what the future of higher education looks like to fit today’s students and tomorrow’s careers.
- Through innovative learning models, modern facilities and a student-centered approach, Dallas College is redesigning what the college experience looks like to better meet the needs of a rapidly changing workforce.
- Data Points
- El Centro Campus = future of reimagined downtown education hub
- $16.2 million added annual income from ongoing construction projects
- Flexible learning options: online, hybrid, in-person
- 4 bachelor degrees in nursing, education, software development, management
Social Media Posts
Post 1:
We’re not waiting for the future; we’re building it! Dallas College is redesigning education to meet today’s students and tomorrow’s workforce, creating flexible, career-connected pathways for success.
#FutureReady #HigherEd #Innovation #CCAM
Post 2:
The future of college is here. Through innovative programs, modern campuses and workforce-aligned learning, Dallas College is preparing students for what’s next.
#FutureReady #EducationThatWorks #CCAM
Week 3 – Solutions for the Workforce: “From Talent Shortage to Talent Pipeline”
- Dallas College is strengthening the North Texas workforce by transforming today’s talent shortages into tomorrow’s talent pipeline.
- We’re helping meet that need by closing the skills gap one graduate at a time.
- Through strong industry partnerships, we’re aligning education with workforce needs and creating direct pathways to in-demand careers driving economic growth and delivering workforce solutions that benefit businesses, students and communities across North Texas.
- Data Points
- 30,000+ or one-third of students taking continuing education courses
- 100+ high demand career programs and training
- 1 in 50 jobs in Dallas County is supported by Dallas College and its students
- 42,638 jobs supported by Dallas College alumni
Social Media Posts
Post 1:
North Texas doesn’t just need workers, it needs skilled talent. Dallas College is closing the skills gap by connecting students to in-demand careers through real-world training and industry partnerships.
#FutureReady #WorkforceDevelopment #CCAM
Post 2:
From talent shortage to talent pipeline. Dallas College is preparing students for careers in high-demand fields, strengthening our workforce and our communities along the way.
#FutureReady #TalentPipeline #CCAM
Week 4 – Dallas College: The Smart Choice
- College should open doors, not create debt.
- Dallas College is the smart choice providing flexible, affordable pathways that help students at every stage of life, whether they are pursuing a degree, building new skills or advancing their careers.
- With a focus on accessibility, student support and career outcomes, Dallas College delivers high-quality education that meets students where they are and prepares them for what’s next.
- Data Points
- Graduate with little to no debt – Dallas County residents pay $1,485 for 15 credit hours
- ~ 30,000Dual Credit Students
- 44 P-TECH Programs
- 21,000+ credentials awarded Associate Degrees, Bachelor Degrees, Certificates and Skills Awards
- Over 20% first generation students
World class student support, including wrap-around services, emergency aid, transportation vouchers, counseling and food pantries- 25,000 unique students served last year
Social Media Posts
Post 1:
We’re committed to helping students get to, through and beyond our doors. Dallas College offers flexible, affordable pathways that help students start, stay and succeed at every stage of life.
#FutureReady #SmartChoice #CCAM
Post 2:
Whether you’re just starting out or starting over, Dallas College is the smart choice. With accessible programs and real career outcomes, we’re helping students move forward with confidence.
#FutureReady #Opportunity
Week 5 – Leading the Future
- Our future depends on collaboration across education, industry and community.
- Dallas College is leading and convening conversations at the local, state and national levels, shaping the future of education, workforce and community impact.
- Leadership at Dallas College is measured not only by enrollment numbers, but by our ability to turn ideas into action and partnerships into measurable outcomes.
- With each campus president focused on key workforce sectors, the college is uniquely positioned to align resources, strengthen partnerships and advance solutions that support regional and statewide priorities.
- Data Points
- 30,000 high school students getting a head start on college
- For every $1 invested students gain $6.90 lifetime earnings
$3.3M federal grant to expand AI education - Region’s leading pipeline for workforce labor
- 100+ high demand career programs and training
- 4 bachelor degrees in nursing, education, software development, management
Social Media Posts
Post 1:
Dallas College is helping lead the future of education in North Texas. By bringing together education, industry and community, we’re shaping what comes next.
#FutureReady #Leadership #CCAM
Post 2:
The future doesn’t happen by chance; it’s built through collaboration. Dallas College is working alongside partners across North Texas to create opportunity and drive progress. By convening leaders across education, industry and community, we’re helping shape what comes next.
#FutureReady #LeadingTheFuture #CCAM
About Dallas College
Celebrating its 60th anniversary, Dallas College consists of seven campuses — Brookhaven, Cedar Valley, Eastfield, El Centro, Mountain View, North Lake and Richland — plus a dozen centers located throughout Dallas County. As one of the largest community colleges in the U.S., Dallas College offers online and in-person learning, serving more than 127,000 credit, workforce and continuing education students annually. Students benefit from partnerships with local school districts, four-year universities, industry and community leaders. Dallas College offers associate degrees and career/technical certificate programs in more than 100 areas of study, as well as bachelor’s degrees in education, nursing and software development. As the largest provider of dual credit in Texas, Dallas College serves 30,000 high school students through 63 dual credit programs.