
Moving a Community College Forward
My Story as an Educator, Researcher, President, and Radical
James Jacobs(Author)
Bloomsbury Academic USA (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 6. August 2026
Book
Hardback
288 pages
979-8-216-37798-6 (ISBN)
Description
What makes this book distinctive is the unique perspective of its author. James Jacobs spent fifty years at Macomb Community College, starting as a part-time instructor in 1967 and retiring in 2017 as President. He came to the college a student organizer and was fired in 1970 by the college administration because of his activism. He not only won his job back but began a transformation that led to a national role in developing community college workforce strategies used today by many institutions. Since the context for the book is Macomb County and the Detroit region, issues such as racism, city-suburban relations, and changes in the auto industry are also examined.
Reviews / Votes
Tracing his journey from 1960s student radical to president of Macomb Community College, Jacobs provides an insider's view of how community colleges evolved from local experiments into essential engines of economic mobility and civic life. His story weaves personal experience with historical insight, illuminating how visionary leadership, grounded in research and social commitment, can help institutions adapt to sweeping economic, demographic, and political change. Both a memoir and a meditation on public purpose, this book captures the rise of the community college as one of America's most important-and underappreciated-educational innovations, and reflects on what it will take to sustain that promise in the current era of upheaval and uncertainty for American higher education and society. -- Davis Jenkins * senior research scholar, Community College Research Center * Jim Jacobs' journey from student radical to presidency of one of America's most successful community colleges would itself be a good yarn. But Jacobs goes beyond that, skillfully weaving his own story into the story of the economic evolution of Macomb County and the lessons he learned as a college leader during rapidly changing and challenging times. -- David Wessel * senior fellow in economics, Brookings Institution * If you want to go from just believing in the values of equity and justice to actually achieving meaningful results, read this book! Jim Jacobs has written a professional biography that tracks his life from his early days of community organizing through to his transition as a galvanizing community college president. Jim's signature work established workforce development programs at Macomb Community College outside Detroit. In the midst of job loss and disappearing businesses, his work catalyzed new job opportunities by co-creating targeted college programs for emerging jobs. The result increased both the viability of new businesses and future-focused careers. It is a joy to read this honest, detailed story of as an exemplar of leadership that works. -- Gail O. Mellow * president emeritus, LaGuardia Community College, CUNY * James Jacobs, a recognized leader in community college education and in workforce and economic development, has gifted the field through this book with a thoughtful and richly detailed description of the challenges and strategies of a community college CEO - a self-described "radical" - who focuses personal and institutional effort on the evidence-based needs of students and community. In the process of this story telling, Jacobs not only illustrates the change management challenges inherent in making a real difference; he also foreshadows - thoughtfully and a little eerily - the increasingly critical changes that community colleges must currently address. His emphasis on changing student demographics, on the need for more effective collaboration across sectors - employers, K-12, transfer institutions, and community organizations, on the escalating requirement for more regional approaches - and importantly, on the role of community colleges in promoting civic engagement and informed civic dialogue illuminates not just lessons from the past but imperatives for the future. * former senior advisor at the American Association of Community Colleges and founding director of the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE) * Spanning seven decades of history, this book shares the learning, self-reflections and remarkable journey of one man-from an idealistic youth in the 1960s to a highly influential leader in the community college sector, a role custom-designed to bring that idealism to life. The story also offers a fascinating glimpse into how one community navigated the socio-political and economic challenges of a region in the U.S. known for its hardships. Additionally, it tells a story of leadership and learning from the perspective of an extraordinary leader in higher education, who shares his experiences with passion, gratitude for those who have contributed to his growth, and a humorous self-awareness, acknowledging moments when he wished he had made different choices. This book beautifully showcases the intricate nature of leadership while inspiring hope in resilience, personal growth, and the incredible transformational impact that education can have within a community. -- - Dr. Gretchen Schmidt and Dr. Rob Johnstone * National Center for Inquiry & Improvement (NCII) * Dr. Jim Jacobs has a longstanding and peerless reputation as a college president who leads workforce development efforts, but in this book, he reveals with unparalleled candor the challenges and rewards of the community college presidency. The current and next generation of leaders would be well-advised to take many of his lessons learned to heart, as some aspects of visionary leadership never change, such as an unwavering commitment to learners, the imperative of deep engagement and alignment with the Board of Trustees, and collaboration with faculty, staff, industry, and the communities our colleges serve. For all of these reasons, Jim has always been a role model for me as a college president, and now all can benefit as he has recounted his remarkable career in writing. -- Jo Alice Blondin * president of Clark State College and president of the National Council for Workforce Education * James Jacobs has written the book our field needs right now...clear, practical, and grounded in personal experience and in the real work of serving students and communities. He shows how to align mission with metrics, bring labor and industry to the same table, and make student success the institution's true north. This isn't theory; it's implementation with integrity. I'll be recommending it to presidents, trustees, and policymakers who are serious about equity and economic mobility. -- Daniel J. Phelan * president and CEO of Jackson College * Jim Jacobs weaves together a compelling narrative including a rich history of the American community college sector, insights into the Detroit region's unique dynamics with one of its leading community colleges, and heart-felt reflections on the journey from activism to college leadership. This book provides insights and wisdom for future generations interested in social change from a visionary leader in the field of workforce development. -- Michelle Van Noy * director of the Education and Employment Research Center at Rutgers University * Jim Jacobs passionately shows the power of centering the "community" in community colleges and how doing so can improve the colleges, their local labor markets, and the lives of the citizens in their regions. His honesty and reflective candor are instructive for all leaders looking to build a similar sense of place at their own institutions. -- Melinda Mechur Karp * Ph.D., founder, Phase Two Advisory *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
5 B/W images, 6 textboxes
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 178 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
653 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-216-37798-6 (9798216377986)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
James Jacobs is a national expert on both the theory and practice of workforce development at community colleges. He specializes in occupational change and technology, regional economic development, occupational education, retraining displaced workers, and the skills needs of employers.
Jacobs combines his research with a long tenure as a community college educator and administrator. After serving nine years as its president, Jacobs is currently president emeritus of Macomb Community College in Michigan. Previously, he served the college in many capacities, including as the director of the Machinist Training Institution and as the associate vice president for public policy. As president of the college, Jacobs led efforts to merge credit and noncredit education and developed both National Science Foundation and Department of Labor grants to promote education and training in the auto industry. With support from JP Morgan Chase, he initiated the college's Innovation Fund, which awards startup businesses with funds to develop educational opportunities for Macomb students.
Jacobs was associate director of CCRC from 2000 to 2008 and a member of the Center's advisory board from 2008 to 2017. Jacobs has written extensively on issues regarding community colleges and workforce development. At CCRC he has coauthored publications on noncredit workforce education and IT certifications.
Jacobs served as president of the National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE), a national postsecondary organization of occupational education and workforce development specialists. He has also been an advisor to several national foundations and community colleges on workforce development issues. He was a member of the advisory board of the congressionally mandated National Assessment of Vocational Education (NAVE) and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of the Department of Commerce. He also served on the community college advisory board for the Educational Testing Service and on the boards of the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship and the Global Corporate College.
Currently, Jacobs is an advisor to the Wilson Foundation, which promotes development in the Detroit and Buffalo regions, and serves on the boards of the Center for Automotive Research, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the United Way for Southeastern Michigan. Jacobs earned a BA from Harpur College, Binghamton University, part of the State University of New York system, and an MA and PhD in politics from Princeton University.
Jacobs combines his research with a long tenure as a community college educator and administrator. After serving nine years as its president, Jacobs is currently president emeritus of Macomb Community College in Michigan. Previously, he served the college in many capacities, including as the director of the Machinist Training Institution and as the associate vice president for public policy. As president of the college, Jacobs led efforts to merge credit and noncredit education and developed both National Science Foundation and Department of Labor grants to promote education and training in the auto industry. With support from JP Morgan Chase, he initiated the college's Innovation Fund, which awards startup businesses with funds to develop educational opportunities for Macomb students.
Jacobs was associate director of CCRC from 2000 to 2008 and a member of the Center's advisory board from 2008 to 2017. Jacobs has written extensively on issues regarding community colleges and workforce development. At CCRC he has coauthored publications on noncredit workforce education and IT certifications.
Jacobs served as president of the National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE), a national postsecondary organization of occupational education and workforce development specialists. He has also been an advisor to several national foundations and community colleges on workforce development issues. He was a member of the advisory board of the congressionally mandated National Assessment of Vocational Education (NAVE) and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of the Department of Commerce. He also served on the community college advisory board for the Educational Testing Service and on the boards of the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship and the Global Corporate College.
Currently, Jacobs is an advisor to the Wilson Foundation, which promotes development in the Detroit and Buffalo regions, and serves on the boards of the Center for Automotive Research, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the United Way for Southeastern Michigan. Jacobs earned a BA from Harpur College, Binghamton University, part of the State University of New York system, and an MA and PhD in politics from Princeton University.
Content
Introduction: Why This Book?
Chapter 1: From Brooklyn to Macomb
Chapter 2: Finding a Role
Chapter 3: America Discovers Community Colleges
Chapter 4: Becoming a Workforce Development Expert
Chapter 5: Community College Research Center
Chapter 6: Becoming a College President
Chapter 7: Getting Students Back to Work
Chapter 8: Running the Institution
Chapter 9: College in the Community
Chapter 10: Wrapping it Up
Chapter 11: After Macomb
Epilogue: Did I Change?
Chapter 1: From Brooklyn to Macomb
Chapter 2: Finding a Role
Chapter 3: America Discovers Community Colleges
Chapter 4: Becoming a Workforce Development Expert
Chapter 5: Community College Research Center
Chapter 6: Becoming a College President
Chapter 7: Getting Students Back to Work
Chapter 8: Running the Institution
Chapter 9: College in the Community
Chapter 10: Wrapping it Up
Chapter 11: After Macomb
Epilogue: Did I Change?