External and Internal Community Relations Progress

Develop and communicate an enhanced College brand identity — CCP Pride — that all members of the College community, serving as College ambassadors, can clearly articulate and that focuses on achievement of student goals and respect and collaboration among faculty, staff and administrators. 

Strategic Plan 2021-2022 Progress

  • Increased volume, quality and variety of newsroom stories on website.
  • Integrated credit- and noncredit recruitment activities.
  • Developed first enrollment recruitment plan.
  • Expanded advertising channels and audiences to include TikTok, Hulu, YouTube and other out-of-home opportunities including branded pizza boxes.
  • Increased social media reach and audiences across all channels.
  • Identified new CRM tool and have begun implementation.
  • Implemented customer service training for all Enrollment Management staff.
  • Completed staff training for Financial Aid office to ensure compliance with Title IV.
  • Provided letters of support and letters of commitment to community organizations and partners.
  • Hosted the 2022 Black and Gold Gala in-person, bringing together leaders throughout the community to support the College and to recognize the outstanding service of individuals and organizations in the City of Philadelphia that demonstrate involvement in community growth in the areas of education, business, social services and health.
  • Expanded connections with businesses and other community leaders with the assistance of the CCP Foundation.
  • Launched e-newsletter to promote the work of the College and its Foundation to alumni, donors and friends.
  • In spite of COVID restrictions during the 2021-22 academic year, CCPTV released ten new programs including two new series, "Black History Moments" and "The Aunt Nancy" series.  These two new shows support the new Diversity pillar in the College's Strategic Plan. Other shows produced include additional episodes of "Cinema Bytes" focused on African-American and Latine films. CCPTV also produced a fictional story about isolation during COVID entitled "Trapped."
  • Non-broadcast productions include the completion of an Emergency Preparedness program for the College community, a fully virtual 2021 Commencement, coverage of the CCP basketball games, coverage of many virtual events, including Board of Trustees meetings and fully virtual professional development plenary sessions. CCPTV is currently working on 2022 Commencement and the video portion of the 2022 Gala event.

Strategic Plan 2020-2021 Progress

  • Provided letters of support and letters of commitment to community organizations and partners.
  • Hosted the virtual 2021 Black and Gold Gala, recognizing the outstanding service of individuals and organizations in the City of Philadelphia that demonstrate involvement in community growth in the areas of education, business, social services and health.
  • Created weekly newsletter to inform internal and external stakeholders of College developments.
  • Increased volume, quality and variety of newsroom stories on the website.
  • Increased social media reach and audiences across all channels.
  • Created monthly College newsletter for elected officials.
  • Contracted with strategic branding agency, and website reconfiguration and brand reimagination is underway.
  • Established reporting dashboards to measure progress against enrollment goals and instituted weekly reports to staff.
  • CCPTV received numerous awards:  The Communicator for “True Tales of Social Justice;” Davy and Hometown Media for episode four of “Strange College;” Hometown Media for “Drop the Mic.”
  • CCPTV used virtual technology to produce several programs that dealt with the diversity issues in the world including “Paradigm," "The Aunt Nancy Series," and "Black History Moments,"

Strategic Plan 2019-2020 Progress

  • The Division of Student Development led the new mascot launch and subsequent year-long spirit boosting campaign as the College adopted the new identity as the #CCPLions. In September 2019, Roary the lion was introduced as the new mascot. Roary identifies as non-binary, which reminds the College community of the College’s inclusivity both on and off campus.
  • The College launched the new Pride Portal a platform for student groups and activities that is more user-friendly and robust than the previous platform.  

Strategic Plan 2018-2019 Progress

  • The College hired a new VP for Marketing & Communications (VPMC) effective August 2019. The VPMC will provide leadership for brand identity.
  • The College went through a process to identify and launch a new mascot.

Strengthen the relationship between the College and the City's pre-K to 16 communities to improve access to education and completion rates throughout the educational pipeline by creating responsive programs and partnerships.

Strategic Plan 2021-2022 Progress

  • The second cohort of Parkway Center City Middle College students graduated in May 2022; 107 of the 110 students (97% of the senior class) graduated with a diploma and at least 48 college credits.

Strategic Plan 2020-2021 Progress

  • The first cohort of Parkway Center City Middle College students graduated in May 2021; 89 out of 98 students (91% of the senior class) graduated with a diploma and at least 48 college credits
  • The local articulation agreement with the Philadelphia School District (PSD) was signed in Spring 2021. With this agreement, all of the College’s CTE programs are in compliance with Perkins requirements regarding articulations/alignments. The number of PSD programs of study increased from 9 in 2018 to 18 in 2021, and the number of CCP programs included in the agreement increased from 14 to 37.
  • Criminal Justice was added to the state-level SOAR (Students Occupationally and Academic Ready) articulations, allowing students in high school program of study to earn nine credits toward the AAS degree.
  • The College entered into an articulation agreement with Universal Audenried Charter High School. Three of the charter high school CTE programs align across eight College programs.
  • The solar energy program articulation was finalized in Spring 2021 and included in the local articulation agreement with the Philadelphia School District.
  • An addendum was added to the La Salle University Dual Admissions agreement to include Middle College graduates and provide resources and opportunities to these students with advanced standing.

Strategic Plan 2019-2020 Progress

  • The Nursing program in collaboration with the Institute for Community engagement & Civic Leadership worked with the Spring Garden School, an elementary school that has over 99% of its students designated in deep poverty. Both the physiological and psychological needs of this community were supported thought multiple efforts. The Nursing program also expanded services to Strawberry Mansion and Penn Alexander School in Philadelphia to address coping strategies in an age-appropriate manner..
  • ESL faculty continued their collaboration with the School District of Philadelphia (SDP). With the Building an E-partnership for Student Success and Transition (BESST) project, three professional learning communities were implemented in ESL. The initiative focused on aligning ESL writing standards at SDP to those at the College.  
  • Faculty in the accounting, automotive technology, culinary arts, and tourism and hospitality management programs participated in high school career-technical education (CTE) advisory committee meetings and other high school CTE related events. The faculty also took part in an outreach event organized by the CTE Outreach Specialist with the school district for high school CTE teachers to learn more about articulations and to meet College CTE faculty.
  • Conducting the ACCUPLACER placement test in area high schools increased from 40 high schools in 2018-19 to 46 high schools in 2019-20. Test Prep workshops were also underway before COVID-19; 66% of students who completed the workshops improved by at least one level in English.
  • The Northwest Regional Center partnered to offer multiple programs for high school students, such as SAT prep programming and scholarship writing prep program.
  • The Institute for Community Engagement and Civic Leadership distributed an additional 4,000 books to schools and organizations through First Book.
  • The Institute for Community Engagement and Civic Leadership’s partnership with Spring Garden School was awarded the Lindy Award for Excellence from PHENND to expand its current programming and create a student chess club.
    • The College is also partnering with One Bright Ray adult high school. We now offer a two-way referral pipeline between our high school equivalency classes and their adult high school based on what is appropriate and preferred by theindividual students.
    • Institutional Research developed a graduation dashboard for the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) for first-time SDP high school graduates by high school. This project is part of the SDP-CCP AG1 Learning Community efforts to better understand student transitions from high school to post-secondary and some of the barriers.
  • The College has new dual enrollment partnerships with String Theory Charter School and Universal Audenreid Charter School to create additional middle college opportunities.
  • The College implemented the 100 Steps Program with J.W. Hallahan High School.

Strategic Plan 2018-2019 Progress

  • A College administrator co-chairs the City’s Running Start Committee which supports the City’s 0 to 5 early learning plan.
  • The College partners with 1199C on the Philadelphia Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship Program which now includes 36 apprentices at over 20 different employers, all scheduled to complete their associate degrees by December 2019.
  • The College continues to support adopted K-8 school, Spring Garden, and has adopted a second K-8 school, Laura Wheeler Waring School.
  • The College partners with Junior Achievement and the SDP to have 3rd grade students visit the College. Including the 600 students for 2018-2019, the College has now hosted 1500 3rd graders.
  • The College partners with 1199C, Drexel University, The SDP and the Philadelphia Academies, Inc for the STEAM/New Faces program to expose minority students to STEM and health care careers.
  • The College partners with Goodwill Industries, SDP and Drexel University to help adult students interested in completing a high school diploma.
  • The College worked with SDP to develop city-specific articulations. Philadelphia students who complete high school programs/certificates can get between 3 and 8 college credits upon enrolling in the College.
  • Spring 2018 dual enrollment increased 138% (n=658) from Spring 2016 (n=277), primarily because of the Early Scholars program.
  • The Summer ACE program 2018 had 365 students with 81% getting a C or better
  • 60/63 students (95%) in the new Advanced Senior Year program were retained from fall 2018 to Spring 2019.
  • The Gateway to College program graduated its largest class to date, 35 students.
  • Parkway Center City Middle College started the third cohort. 148 students were selected from 3200 applicants. 97% of the students completed their first college course with a C or better.
  • Two students were awarded the Maggie Hawkins-Powell Community Service Transfer Scholarship to facilitate transfer to a 4-year institution for students committed to community service.
  • The College has new transfer agreements with the University of the Sciences

Strategic Plan 2017-2018 Progress

  • The College has 31 dual enrollment partners.
  • Dual admissions agreements with colleges and universities increased from 12 (2016-2017) to 16.
  • Programs include:
    • Parkway Center City Middle College started 2017 with 121 students. College course pass rate was 100%. 92 other Parkway students participated in dual enrollment. Combined, the success rate was 95% for the academic year. Cohort 2 started summer 2018 with140 students. All students passed their summer college course. 
    • Early Scholars Program (funded fall 2016-spring 2018) 842 students took a total of 1563 courses, with an 85% completion rate and an 88% pass rate.
    • Steps to Success program (with Junior Achievement) for 300 3rd graders since 2016-2017, for a total of 900 students.
    • Adopted School for 2018-2019 - Spring Garden School (K-8)


Expand partnerships with community organizations integrating the resources of the City into courses and programs that bolster students' abilities to master the College's core competencies.

Strategic Plan 2021-2022 Updates

  • As of fall 2022, a total of 973 Catto Scholars are enrolled at CCP:
    • 853 first-time, full-time students; 85 transfer students; 35 readmit students
    • 80 students in cohort 1 (spring 2021), 231 students in cohort 2 (fall 2021), 58 students in cohort 3 (spring 2022) and 604 students in cohort 4 (fall 2022)
  • The fall 2022 retention rate for the spring 2022 cohort of Catto scholars was 79%, exceeding the goal of 71%

Strategic Plan 2020-2021 Progress

  • In partnership with the City of Philadelphia, the Octavius Catto Scholarship was created. The Octavius Catto Scholarship is an anti-poverty initiative designed to put more Philadelphians on the path to success at Community College of Philadelphia. The Scholarship aims to make the transformative power of education available to students by providing funding and additional supports. Approximately 4,500 students will benefit from the Catto Scholarship over first five years.
  • At kickoff of the Catto Scholarship, the City of Philadelphia committed $47.4M over the initial Five-Year Plan (beginning with $4.8M during fiscal year 2021)

Strategic Plan 2019-2020 Progress

  • Through The Institute for Community Engagement and Civic Leadership, the College is part of The National All In Campus Democracy Challenge. In fall 2019 the College was awarded a gold seal for the College’s Voter participation rate.
  • The Institute for Community Engagement and Civic Leadership was able to launch a new AmeriCorps program in partnership with PHENND which gives first generation, low income students the opportunity to serve as a leader in the community and earn a financial stipend towards their education.
  • The Institute for Community Engagement and Civic Leadership partnered with Global Citizen to provide programming for the Martin Luther King Day of Service.
  • The Institute for Community Engagement & Civic Leadership (The Institute) partnered with federal judges to provide “Know Your Government” workshops. About 60 individuals participated in the workshops.

Strategic Plan 2018-2019 Progress

  • The Institute for Community Engagement & Civic Leadership (The Institute) was started in 2015-2016. The Institute for 2018-2019 reported:
    • 175 active community partners;
    • 675 students enrolled in community engagement/service learning courses;
    • 20 College departments engaged with community partners;
    • More than 10,000 student volunteer hours
  • The College’s partnerships with voter engagement organizations led to CCP Votes, an initiative that resulted in 400 new voter registrations

Strategic Plan 2017-2018 Progress

  • The Institute for Community Engagement & Civic Leadership started in 2015-2016. Community partners increased from 30 to 43. Partners include: Valley Youth House, Achieving Independence Center, Covenant House, Campus Philly, and Philadelphia Fight.