Madison College Curious About Obama Education Address

Madison College Curious About Obama Education Address
Posted: Nov 02, 2009 10:29 PM CST
WKOW-TV.COM

People at Madison Area Technical College hope President Obama will mention a new initiative to fund community colleges everywhere.

Obama's American Graduation Initiative is aimed at helping people like Gary Ramthun go back to school.

After 35 years of working in manufacturing, Ramthun lost his job last December.

"I looked for work and decided I would try my luck at going back to school and starting my own business," said Ramthun.

Now he is a full-time student at Madison College, trying to get certified to perform home inspections.

"My biggest reason for coming back was the opportunity to get the education to be able to move back into the workforce without taking four years out of my life," said Ramthun. "And at my age, four more years is going to make it that much harder to get a job."

The American Graduation Initiative would give $12 billion in federal funds to community colleges across the country. Madison College officials say a grant like this would be the first of its kind.

"The federal government has not really funded much in community colleges," said Terry Webb, Vice President for Learner Success at Madison College. "It has really focused more on the four-year colleges and the universities."

The Obama administration says community colleges play a key role in helping to boost the economy, because they often provide a more affordable, flexible option to people looking to continue their education.

Madison College hopes a little national attention on the city's education will open the book for discussion on the initiative.

"Anything the President would say that would reinforce what he has already proposed in the initiative would be welcome for all community colleges," said Webb.

The initiative is just a proposal at this point, but it would allow community colleges, which are filling up across the nation, to enroll an additional five million Americans by 2020.

Madison College is one of those schools at capacity. Twenty percent more students enrolled there for the 2009 summer term, and twelve percent more enrolled for the 2009 fall semester.