7 Reasons to Celebrate Community College Month at Aims

Here are seven ways Aims Community College makes a difference in our local community and beyond. 

1. Aims educates and inspires learners at every stage of life. From nine-year-olds in the College for Kids program to people 65+ participating in continuing education courses, our offerings have something for everyone. This month, Aims offers an event, Sing-Along With Papa David, which is ideal for toddlers. 
   
   At the Early College Academy and through Concurrent Enrollment programs at many local high schools, students can simultaneously earn a high school diploma and associate degree from Aims. 

   Other high school programs prepare students to enter the workforce or help them obtain college credits. With the rising cost of higher education, this is making it far more affordable for many. Over the past five years, these students have taken over 100K credits, which has saved local families over $7.4 Million.  
   
   Current degree-seeking students range in age from 16 to over 70. They are striving to achieve their goals in more than 200 degree and certificate programs. Thirty-two percent of Aims students are non-traditional, meaning they are older than age 24. 
   
    

2. Aims welcomes the community to our campuses. The college offers activities and hosts events for outside organizations. Since the opening of our amazing Welcome Center in December 2021, thousands of community members have come to campus for community meetings, celebrations, and conferences. Events for the community on our Greeley campus have quadrupled since the Welcome Center’s opening. Visit events.aims.edu to see coming attractions.
   
   Another excellent resource is the Aims Community Lab. It is a place to learn about technology and work on projects and is open to all. Visitors can explore craftwork, 3D printing, sewing, mold-making, and more. Stop by the makerspace at the Applied Technology and Trades Center on the Greeley campus. 
   
    

3. Aims dedicates itself to keeping higher education affordable. 

   The average in-state tuition in the 2022-23 school year at Aims was $2,762, compared to $3,735 at other Colorado community colleges and $8,940 at public 4-year institutions in the state. 

   Aims has also saved students over $1 million in the last five years using no/low-cost materials and online textbooks.
   
   In addition to lower costs, we work diligently to provide extensive financial aid options, including grants and scholarships. At last count, only nine percent of students leave Aims with student loan debt.
   
   
    

4. Aims cultivates an environment that nurtures first-generation college students to navigate their higher educational journeys. First-gen students are learners whose parents or legal guardians do not have a bachelor's degree. 
   
   Read a few first-generation stories to inspire you. 
   
   Did you know that 49 percent of Aims students identify as first-generation? TRIO Student Support Services guides many Aims first-gen students to achieve maximum academic success and career readiness.
   
   
    
5. Aims invests in state-of-the-art equipment and learning tools to provide hands-on experience for students in career and technical education courses. Below are a few examples of technology in action. 
   • This Anatomage Table is a technologically advanced 3D anatomy visualization and virtual dissection tool for anatomy and physiology education. 
   • Automotive students and welding students learn using virtual reality training equipment. 
   • Future truck drivers will practice on a CDL simulator, and tomorrow’s pilots and air traffic controllers train on aviation simulator technology before flying.
   • In the newly expanded Windsor Campus, UAS students can access a drone fabrication and design lab, while public safety students can replicate real-world scenarios at the Sim City. 
   • Ed Beaty Hall is home to experiential learning with a theater, radio station, TV studio, green-screen room, surround sound studio and video-editing booths.
   • The greenhouse on the Fort Lupton Campus offers Aims agriculture students an indoor space for year-round, hands-on learning.
     
     
      

6. Aims opens doors to successful careers and lives. Tens of thousands of our alumni are a testament to that. 
   
   After graduation, 54 percent of Aims students continue their education by transferring to four-year institutions. Those looking to attend the University of Northern Colorado can streamline this journey with the Aims2UNC program. Other programs, like an articulation agreement with the Colorado School of Mines, create a formalized pathway for student transfer. The Transfer Services team on campus is here to prepare students for their next destination, wherever that may be. 
   
   Aims also gets many of our learners into the workforce in high-demand fields like healthcare and technical jobs. Statewide programs such as Career Advance Colorado and Care Forward Colorado are designed to get people the credentials to work in various fields with short-term certificates. 

   Nine months after graduating from Aims, 80 percent of students are employed, contributing to the workforce. Career Services offers services to help students find a job to start their careers. 
   
   The annual impact of Aims is over $244 million, contributing to thousands of jobs in the community. 
    

7. Aims commits to engaging and supporting our local businesses and workforce through community college partnerships and services. Northern Colorado businesses can work with Aims to build industry exposure to students and the general population and recruit, train and retain your workforce.
   
   The Aims Center for Workforce Development and Innovation helps businesses thrive by partnering with them to develop and deliver customized corporate training solutions, offer seminars, provide onsite training and more.
   
   More community-enhancing projects are on the horizon, including the Workforce Innovation Center (AWIC), recently approved by the Aims Board of Trustees. The project creates a supportive environment designed to help new businesses, ideas or projects flourish. It will provide production space for technology, manufacturing, and more. Aims students will benefit from hands-on experience with leading-edge technology and business development processes. AWIC will be the first innovation incubator in Weld County when it opens in 2026.
   
   Aims hopes that Alquist 3D will be the first partner in residence at AWIC to use the space for training, research and development. Aims will provide short-term training for future employees in 3D printing construction beginning this summer. The company’s arrival is forecasted to bring new jobs and help build much-needed homes in the area.
    

While we just listed seven reasons, there are so many more to celebrate Aims’ contributions to students, employees and the community at large. Stay connected with Aims on social media to see more ways the college fosters community growth and transforms lives through the power of education.