Marin Voice: On 100th anniversary of College of Marin, school president calls for support

By Jonathan Eldridge

PUBLISHED: May 5, 2025 at 12:58 PM PDT

College of Marin has been the community’s college for the past 99 years. As superintendent and president, I can say that we cherish our legacy of contributions to Marin County and the countless residents who have sought educational opportunities with us.

As we prepare to celebrate our centennial, we do so in tumultuous times for higher education. Threats in the form of executive orders and “Dear colleague” letters about everything from accreditation to access, from student financial aid to support programs, draw attention away from our ability to deliver on our core mission: providing equitable opportunities and ensuring academic success for all members of our diverse community. That mission itself is under attack, yet our fulfillment of it strengthens our communities and improves Marin in myriad ways.

For example, College of Marin is a top school in the state for University of California transfer acceptance rates and we have the highest UC acceptance rate of any college for African American students.

Our students in career programs such as construction, certified nursing assistant/home health aide and others routinely see wage gains of 30% or more upon completion. About 600 Marin high school students enroll concurrently with us each year, getting a head start and a leg up with college.

Thousands of Marin residents take lifelong learning courses at our two campuses to enrich their lives. Nearly 2,000 Marin residents enroll in our “English as a second language” courses every semester, preparing themselves for better job prospects and further education.

Low-income, first-generation high school students in our COMPASS (College Of Marin Providing Access and Supporting Success) program graduate from high school with nearly double the college-readiness they would without this longstanding partnership. And College of Marin has an annual regional economic impact of nearly $250 million, a roughly three-fold return on local investment — an investment for which we are truly grateful.

These results, accomplished in partnership with local schools, nonprofits such as Canal Alliance, Community Action Marin and Marin Promise Partnership, as well as the Marin County Fire Department, Golden Gate Transit and many other groups and agencies, make Marin stronger, healthier, more educated and safer.

Now we are launching a strategic plan focused on doubling down on this success: We will, quite simply, be the best place to study and learn; a great place to work and grow; and a catalyst for positive community change.

Yet our mission, these results and our strategic vision for the future are all under assault at the federal level. Now, more than ever, we need you — our tens of thousands of alumni in Marin and beyond, our dozens of community partners and everyone in Marin County who wants a stronger, more educated community — to help us deliver on our mission.

Help us ensure a future where every person in Marin can get worldclass instruction from a diverse faculty in small classes with cutting-edge technology and integrated support, for the next 100 years, unimpeded by divisive, punitive and ill-informed policy or rhetoric.

Whenever I speak to a group in Marin, I ask, “Who in the room has attended or had a family member attend College of Marin?” Invariably, most hands in the room go up. Each one has a College of Marin story to tell, about how multiple generations of their family have attended; about how their parents met (and fell in love) while enrolled with us; about how they wouldn’t have their career success without it; about that professor who took the extra time to mentor them; about the lifelong relationships they formed with classmates; and about the amazing arts and cultural events they attend for free.

By the time I hear these stories, I often have little time left for my remarks. I consider it a wonderful testament to the positive power of higher education in Marin.

Everyone in Marin is invited to join our centennial celebrations this coming academic year. I just ask for your help in telling our story, which runs contrary to the negative national rhetoric. In return, we who work at College of Marin will continue to practice mission fidelity so all members of our diverse community can enjoy the value and impact of the community’s college for generations to come.

Jonathan Eldridge is superintendent and president of College of Marin.