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Beyond Borders: Student Insights from the US-UK Community College & Technical Education Exchange
Who's on the Mic?
JJ Nicholson & Harvey Gilchrist
What began as a bold idea to connect U.S. community colleges with U.K. technical institutions has quickly grown into a dynamic exchange program producing real-world outcomes in sustainability and workforce development.
JJ Nicholson and Harvey Gilchrist, two students from Southport College, journeyed to the United States for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study abroad at an American community college. This unique, cultural immersion experience was launched in collaboration with ACCT and the the U.K.’s Association of Colleges (AoC), with support from the Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation. The U.S.-UK Community College and Technical Education Exchange program started in October of 2024 and is already producing results, reshaping how students and faculty collaborate across borders.
A cohort of Southport students traveled to Bergen Community College in New Jersey to work alongside American peers on a project to transform the City of Hackensack’s Main Street into a prototype for sustainable urban design. Their plans include an electrical microgrid powered by photovoltaic panels, kinetic paving, and SMART technologies.
Bergen students are leading the engineering component, while Southport students are developing sustainable building designs. The final blueprints and 3D models will be presented to Hackensack town representatives with potential to be implemented in the coming years.
In celebration of Student Parent Month, ACCT's Kids on Campus Director, Miya Simpson, sits down with the founder and CEO of Generation Hope, to discuss barriers to student parent success on college campuses. In this season premiere episode, Nicole Lynn Lewis details her journey through college as a single mother, highlighting the roadblocks she faced in securing adequate childcare, and the two-generation approach her organization is taking to drive systemic change nationwide.
Dr. Claire Brady, President of Glass Half Full Consulting, answers lingering questions about the role of artificial intelligence in higher education. She explains how trustees can use AI to make their jobs more effective, while keeping students and staff at the forefront of the tech revolution.
*This podcast episode was recorded live during the Regional Awards Luncheon at the 2025 ACCT Leadership Congress in New Orleans, Louisiana on October 24, 2025.
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