With Good Reason

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The federal government unveiled a 12 billion dollar initiative last summer to add 5 million new community college graduates by 2020.   Frank Friedman (Piedmont Virginia Community College) says community college enrollment has exploded during the recession, but colleges are struggling to keep up with the demand for faculty and facilities. Also featured: Realizing that most foster care children don’t do well after high school, Barbara and Mark Fried made the founding gift for the new Great Expectations program which helps get these young people into community college.  Jennifer Gentry (Virginia Community College System) talks about the new organization that provides financial support, but also the guidance, encouragement, and yes, pressure and nagging, to get these kids into higher education.