Building Bridges

Strengthening community relationships in higher ed

Inside the 17,000-square-foot facility strategically located in downtown Phoenix, there is state-of-the-art magic being made with tools and large-scale equipment. The structure, known as Phoenix Forge, is the largest community makerspace in the Southwest—a free resource for students from the 10 Maricopa community colleges and Arizona State University. The makerspace provides access to hands-on programs for project-based learning, a wide variety of tools and equipment and technical training in the areas of metalworking, woodworking, prototyping and 3D printing, jewelry, electronics and textiles.

Each area is equipped with specialized tools like welding equipment, laser cutters and a long-arm quilting machine. Open to the public, members can sign up for monthly classes and workshops to master skills or explore new ones. All classes are taught by experienced instructors who provide step-by-step guidance for completing a project from start to finish. According to a recent Regional Impact Analysis by the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Phoenix Forge is projected to create an estimated $36 million in economic output over the next 10 years.

GateWay Community College, one of the 10 community colleges connected to Phoenix Forge, is able to sustain the operation through financial and in-kind partnerships with other educational institutions and local businesses. “We recognize that it is our responsibility to serve the greater community—not only our students,” says Amy Diaz, Ed.D., President of GateWay. 

Dr. Diaz says GateWay does this in other areas, too. “We offer low-cost salon services to the general public across the valley that helps our students get their practical clinical hours met under the guidance of our expert and licensed instructors in the areas of hair, nails, skin care and massage therapy.”

Phoenix Forge is just one of the many ways GateWay Community College helps to build and strengthen community bonds. For example, it also runs a pro-bono health clinic, which provides free services to community members who are under-insured or uninsured in the modalities of Physical Therapy (through PT Assisting students), Occupational Therapy (through its OT Assisting students), Massage Therapy, Ultrasound and Respiratory Care. The Healthcare United at GateWay (HUG) Clinic, which runs on funding from local grants and donors, is partially supported financially by the college as a service to the community.

To further its commitment to the community at large, GateWay overlaps with many local nonprofit organizations, cross-advertising its services at the local YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, YWCA and other community-based organizations (CBOs). “We continue to create opportunities for youth who are being served by these types of CBOs to also get exposed to what their community college can do for them through field trips, boot camps and mini-learning experiences that complement what they may be doing at their nonprofit organization,” Diaz says.

And there’s more. GateWay also provides low-cost English As a Second Language (ESL) courses for refugees and other non-native speakers to help them engage across the community as individual citizens. “The biggest challenge is that engagement is most likely to happen with intentionality,” Dr. Diaz says. “Leaders must inspire their teams to align the work they do with the most appropriate community partners (or potential partners) and continue to nurture the relationships. The more regular cadence of engagement, the stronger the relationship may become over time.”

“Leaders must inspire their teams to align the work they do with the most appropriate community partners (or potential partners) and continue to nurture the relationships.”

— Amy Diaz, Ed.D., President, GateWay Community College, Maricopa Community Colleges

Staying connected

In 2019, Janet Spriggs, EdD, became the seventh president of Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Stepping into the role meant continuing the college’s commitment to be deeply intertwined with the success and well-being of the surrounding community. Dr. Spriggs views Forsyth Tech’s mission as being more than just providing academic instruction, but also serving its local needs, nurturing partnerships and tailoring programs that create pathways for growth.

“Community colleges like us offer accessible, high-quality education and training aligned with local business and industry needs,” Dr. Spriggs says. “This means being agile and responsive, whether by designing new health sciences programs to meet regional healthcare needs, launching apprenticeships in emerging fields or creating short-term credentials that quickly empower individuals with marketable skills.”

Engagement with the community also means building a foundation of trust and collaboration. Dr. Spriggs says the role of higher education within a community means being a visible, active partner—one that works closely with community leaders and organizations to ensure its offerings meet real and evolving needs. “In essence, our mission goes beyond education; it’s about inspiring, uplifting, and transforming the community by equipping individuals and local industries with the tools they need to grow and thrive. We are consistently striving to build stronger relationships within the communities we serve.”

“Our mission goes beyond education; it’s about inspiring, uplifting, and transforming the community by equipping individuals and local industries with the tools they need to grow and thrive.”

— Dr. Janet N. Spriggs, President, Forsyth Technical Community College

Forsyth Tech’s presence is visible in myriad ways throughout the community. Examples include a Faith Leaders Breakfast, which creates ongoing dialogue and Business and Industry Leadership Teams (BILTs) that engage industry leaders in aligning curriculum and training with evolving workforce needs in fields like diesel technology and health sciences.

Additionally, there is the Forsyth Tech Cares program, which helps students struggling to meet their basic needs and supports the community with free farmers markets; College Lift which offers intensive academic services designed to ensure post-secondary success to historically underserved populations beginning in middle school; and board service and volunteer opportunities, which puts college representatives on local and national boards to ensure its mission aligns with regional priorities, and economic and societal issues, to name a few.

“It is important that your institution’s mission reflects a deep commitment to community well-being, workforce development and regional economic growth,” Dr. Spriggs says. “Leaders should consistently communicate this mission, making it clear that the institution is here not just to educate but also to enhance the social and economic health of the community. Aligning mission and purpose with these goals sets the stage for meaningful, community-focused action.”

That means staying visible and accessible. “Step beyond campus walls to build relationships. Attend local events, actively serve, and partner with public entities, nonprofits and local businesses and industries. At Forsyth Tech, being present and active in community events has fostered trust and led to strong, mutually beneficial partnerships. Showing up, listening and responding to community needs helps demonstrate genuine investment.” As higher education continues to evolve, building bridges that connect campuses to the people they serve will not only expand opportunities for learning and growth, but also reaffirm the vital role of higher education as a cornerstone of community well-being.