Monaca, PA – The Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) has been selected as one of the grantees of Lumina Foundation’s mini-grant opportunity and first-ever Instagram challenge. Seven community colleges have been awarded $50,000 each to enhance their digital outreach and marketing efforts. The engaging Instagram Reel showcased the exceptional value and vibrant experiences that CCBC offers, helping it stand out among over 100 entries from public, accredited two-year institutions nationwide.
The Winners:
- Community College of Beaver County, PA
- Ocean County College, NJ
- Ohlone College, CA
- State University of New York (SUNY) Niagara, NY
- Owens Community College, OH
- Chaffey College, CA
- Jefferson State Community College, AL
The Instagram challenge invited community colleges to create a 90-second Reel, highlighting why their college is the best choice for practicality, convenience, and excellence. By participating, they showcased #WhatsExcellent about Community College of Beaver County and demonstrated the vibrant experiences and opportunities available to students.
“Excellence is one of our core values and Lumina What’s Excellent mini grant allows us to communicate what’s best about a CCBC education with more individuals,” said Leslie Tennant, associate vice president of communications. “Thanks to Lumina, we will use these extra marketing funds to reach adult learners and career changers whose lives can be transformed on CCBC’s career pathways.”
“For the past two years, Lumina has engaged in a national conversation about understanding and strengthening community college brands,” said Mary Laphen Pope, Lumina’s strategy officer for participation. “While discussions often focus on challenges such as enrollment declines, success stories about community colleges and their students are rarely highlighted. We aim to change that.”
Community colleges embody the dreams and aspirations of our communities, offering excellent student services, beautiful campus facilities, heartfelt community engagement, and dynamic classroom
experiences. CCBC is excited to continue sharing our stories and highlighting the diverse and profound impact of a community college education.
“We were excited to offer this mini-grant opportunity and so impressed by all the outstanding video reels we received. We hope this initiative will help shift the narrative around community colleges and all that they offer,” added Laphen Pope.
Lumina invites community colleges to continue sharing their stories and highlighting their excellent work. For more information about the mini-grant challenge and to apply for future opportunities, visit Lumina’s Challenge Page.