Strategic Planning

The Q&A highlights Alexandria Technical & Community College's significant impact on the Alexandria Lakes area, including partnerships with community and industry leaders to provide real-world experiences for students, the college's role in training high school instructors, and its involvement in community events like the annual Diversity Fest. Additionally, it highlights initiatives like the RAISE program and the Next Generation Nursing Assistant program, which offered free courses to eligible residents. Challenges are also addressed, such as the upcoming "enrollment cliff" and public scrutiny of the return on investment of college education. As a result, ATCC is engaging with adult learners, enriching the student experience, and investing in support services for a diverse student body.

More than an accreditation checkbox, strategic planning is integral to aligning our resources, activities, and goals, so that we can work toward a shared vision. Based upon the input of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community, a new strategic framework (2025-2030) titled “The Best is Yet to Come” more succinctly restates our mission, vision, and values - bridging our successful past with our desired future.

The past four years have been transformational for Alexandria Technical & Community College, resulting in an overall enrollment growth of 27.6% from fall 2020 to fall 2024 as reported by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal—the largest percentage growth in all of Minnesota.

To ensure we continue to meet (and exceed) industry standards and the “best in class” expectations we set for ourselves, the college collects and reviews several metrics each year: retention rates by program, licensure exam pass rates, related job placement rates (98%), and graduation rates. In Minnesota’s two-year colleges, Alexandria Technical & Community College is in the top three in each of these areas.