Tri-C President Discusses Future of Community Colleges on 'In The Margins'

EDU Ledger awarded Michael A. Baston a 2026 Champions Award

CLEVELAND — Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) President Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D., appeared on In The Margins, a higher education podcast produced by EDU Ledger, as part of a conversation on leadership, student success and the evolving role of community colleges.

The interview followed Baston's selection as a 2026 EDU Ledger Champions Award recipient and reinforced Tri‑C's role as a leader in the national discussion on access, completion and workforce alignment.

During the episode, Baston drew on his personal background as a first‑generation college student and former public interest attorney to explain how lived experience has shaped his leadership approach. He emphasized the responsibility of institutions to design systems that actively support students rather than expecting them to navigate complex processes on their own — particularly working adults, part‑time learners and students balancing education with family and employment.

"For too many colleges, it's easier to get out of school than to get in school," Baston said.

The conversation highlighted the importance of institutional design in driving student outcomes. Baston underscored retention as a key factor in sustainable enrollment growth and discussed the need to embed academic advising, financial guidance and career planning directly into academic programs to improve students’ likelihood of completion. He also addressed how traditional higher education structures can unintentionally create barriers through confusing language, bureaucracy and policies that do not reflect how students actually move through an institution.

Baston challenged colleges to pursue partnerships that deliver measurable results for students. He emphasized outcome‑driven collaboration with K-12 systems, employers and transfer institutions.

Throughout the discussion, Baston reinforced that meaningful, large‑scale change requires building a strong institutional culture first, creating the foundation required to sustain reform and expansion.

Baston will receive the 2026 Champions Award during the NISOD annual conference from May 23 – 26 in Austin, Texas. The award recognizes higher education leaders who have shown dedication to equal opportunity and access for all, particularly at the community college level. The May 7 edition of The EDU Ledger will include a profile of Baston's leadership.

In the three years under Baston's leadership, more than 10,000 students have graduated from Tri-C's credit and noncredit programs — a 10.4% increase in completion rate. His student-centered approach has boosted Tri-C's credit enrollment by 13.2%, bucking trends in community college enrollment.

Listen to the podcast on The EDU Ledger website.

April 16, 2026

MEDIA CONTACT: Anthony Moujaes, 216-987-3068 or anthony.moujaes@tri-c.edu