LCCC Holds "Completion Challenge" to Encourage Students to Complete their Degrees

Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) has committed to be part of Pennsylvania’s first-ever “Pennsylvania Community College Completion Challenge (PAC4) Week,” observed from October 19-22. As part of PAC4 Week, student members of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society chapters at Pennsylvania’s 14 community colleges have planned events to encourage their classmates to complete their certificate or associate degree before leaving community college to transfer to another institution of higher learning or to enter the workforce.

This student-led, campus-based effort is designed to increase student success by informing all students about the benefits of completing a credential or degree and the consequences of not completing. As a result, hundreds of thousands of community college students have pledged to “Commit to Complete” since the campaign began in 2011.

Studies show that students who complete an associate degree earn, on average, $500,000 more throughout their lifetime than those who only have a high school diploma. The benefits of degree attainment go far beyond earning power – students are also more likely to remain employed and to have a job that provides health insurance and retirement benefits.

The goal at LCCC is to get at least 1,000 pledges from students at all four of the campuses or sites this week. Administrators, faculty and staff have also been asked to sign the pledge, committing themselves to do whatever they can to facilitate completion of student credentials.

Activities will include mini-college fairs with area universities, picture-yourself-as-a-graduate photo booth, make your own mortar board contest, poster signing and more. Activities will be taking place according the following schedule:

10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday, in the Student Union (in Science Hall)

10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday, Connection Crossing (upstairs between Technology Center and Academic Resource Center)

10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, Cafeteria (Academic Resource Center)

PAC4 Week is made possible in part by the support of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, which launched the national Phi Theta Kappa Community College Completion Corps in 2010. Pennsylvania is among 20 states with a statewide initiative.