Office of the President

Vision, Mission, & Strategic Plan

Community College of Denver expands access to education and economic opportunity by providing affordable, high-quality academic and career pathways designed around the needs of today’s learners and Colorado’s evolving workforce. Voted the No. 1 community college in Denver by The Colorado Sun readers for the third consecutive year, CCD is recognized for its commitment to educational excellence, accessibility and student success.

Serving more than 10,000 students annually, CCD reflects the rich diversity of Denver. Many students are the first in their families to attend college, while others are working adults, parents or individuals returning to education after time away. More than half come from historically underrepresented communities, and CCD’s international students represent more than 40 nations.

At CCD, every student is respected, supported and empowered to pursue greater opportunity through expanded knowledge and skills. Financial aid, grants, scholarships and other resources help make that education more affordable. Approximately 70% of CCD graduates complete their education with no student-loan debt, allowing them to move forward with a stronger financial foundation.

Through more than 100 degree and certificate programs, CCD prepares students to enter high-demand careers, advance professionally or transfer seamlessly to Colorado’s public colleges and universities. This strategic plan builds on that foundation by strengthening student success, institutional effectiveness, community partnerships and CCD’s ability to respond to a changing educational and economic landscape.

Vision Statement

CCD - the choice for career advancement and community connections.

Mission Statement

Every student at CCD will gain the knowledge, skills, and guidance to thrive as lifelong learners in their careers and beyond.

Value Statements:

  • Students First
  • Workforce Ready
  • Community Connected
  • Growing and Learning
  • People Powered
  • Trust Through Transparency

*See full 2026 Strategic Plan here

The Strategic Plan has five overarching goals: Quality Education, Completions, Partnerships, Workforce, and Operations . Below are summaries of Community College of Denver's objectives to support our goals.

Ensure students gain an excellent education and skills for current and future careers.

STRATEGIES

  • Ensure College-Wide Knowledge of CCD’s academic portfolio align- ment to Denver’s projected high-growth, high wage occupations that lead to in-demand industry credentials. 
  • Embed industry credentials across all eight CCD pathways for learners and community members to develop and demonstrate skills needed by local employers. 
  • Ensure students can articulate the durable and digital skills they have learned at CCD, such as critical thinking, communication, and decision-making to complement their technical expertise needed for high wage jobs.

Increase student completion and support success so that students achieve their career or transfer goals.

STRATEGIES

  • Redesign and scale a holistic student support model to ensure students get the answers and support they need to succeed (advising, tutoring, onboarding, career exploration). 
  • Increase student success and skill attainment by adopting evidence-based teaching innovations in courses, resulting in an increase in course completion, credential attainment, and economic mobility.

Increase strategic partnerships to deepen students’ experiences and growth opportunities.

STRATEGIES

  • Expand and streamline community partnerships to increase direct matriculation to CCD. 
  • Embed relevant, career- aligned work-based learning experiences into CCD degrees and certificates. 
  • Strengthen and expand philanthropic engagement by growing the donor base and deepening investment from current donors.

Develop and sustain a satisfied, high-quality workforce.

STRATEGIES

  • Align staffing levels and workload models to enable high quality, timely service delivery to strengthen internal customer service. 
  • Improve institutional transparency by enhancing shared governance processes and communication systems, resulting in increased employee satisfaction scores. 
  • Enhance overall employee experience resulting in improved overall retention, engagement, and satis- faction across all employee groups. 
  • Increase the percentage of CCD full-time employees who will earn a livable wage.

Community College of Denver will be the college where all students achieve their education or career goals.

STRATEGIES

  • Evaluate, consolidate, and modernize institutional systems (high volume forms, web conferencing, scheduling) to reduce system redundancy and improve system usability and integration. 
  • Create a centralized, consistent communication and information ecosystem that improves information access and reduces communication overload. 
  • Decrease process time and implement communicative tracking systems for all key institutional processes (professional qualifications, hiring, purchasing, accounts payable, facilities).