Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

MiEN Releases White Paper on Community College Space Innovation

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/10/25

MiEN Company recently released a new white paper called “Designing New Innovative Spaces for Community Colleges” to address the needs of community colleges post-pandemic, according to a news release. The eight-page guide by Dr. Christina Counts, MiEN Company VP of Education and Marketing, covers topics like the enrollment drop that these schools have seen since COVID-19, the roles they play in higher education and local workforces, and five suggested key changes that can improve students’ experiences.

“Research shows that today’s community college students are looking for more than a degree. They’re looking for fulfilling educational experiences that will prepare them for professional and personal success,” said Dr. Counts. “We’re excited to collaborate with community college leaders to explore how they can create dynamic, inclusive spaces for future-ready students.”

The white paper discusses how updating, enhancing, or adding learning and social spaces can benefit the overall educational atmosphere of a campus. It also features grant opportunities that support community college initiatives, infrastructure, and workforce training programs. Finally, it highlights two recent projects to serve as a case study in putting the ideas into practice.

Within the white paper, the five suggested changes include, “Invest in customer service professional development and training for administrators; audit process to identify both technology and workflow bottlenecks; check in with students about their college experience; use technology to automate manual processes and help students get answers faster; [and] use data insights to proactively anticipate and meet students’ needs.”

The full white paper is available on the MiEN Company website.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • NWEA Report Recommends K–12 Natural Disaster Recovery Strategies

    The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a K–12 assessment and research organization, recently announced the release of a new playbook for schools and communities recovering from extreme weather events, according to a news release.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Education Design Showcase Awards

    Spaces4Learning has opened submissions for the 2026 Education Design Showcase! The awards program launched in 1999 with the goal of celebrating innovative, practical solutions in the planning, design, and construction of K–12 and higher-education facilities. EDS recognizes new developments that help achieve optimal learning environments, as well as the architecture firms that brought the ideas to life.