For the past three decades, American higher education has paid increasing attention to the beginning college experience--to ensuring that entering students make a successful transition to college. Yet, much of the extant research and practice literature focuses on the experience of first-year students entering four-year colleges and universities. "Fulfilling the Promise of the Community College" is one of the first volumes to take a comprehensive look at the first-year experience in the community college, examining the unique characteristics of these institutions and the students they serve, barriers to success, and strategies for ensuring that students achieve their higher education goals. Authors describe successful adaptations of faculty development initiatives, first-year seminars, common reading programs, academic and career advising, learning communities, and STEM initiatives in the community college setting. This book begins with a foreword by Jennifer R. Keup and an introduction by Thomas Brown, Margaret C. King, and Patricia Stanley. Part I, The American Community College and Its Students, contains: (1) The American Community College: From Access to Success (George R. Boggs); (2) Understanding Entering Community College Students: Learning From Student Voices (Kay McClenney); and (3) Enhancing First-Year Success in the Community College: What Works in Student Retention (Wesley R. Habley). Part II, Supporting Student Success in the Community College, contains: (4) Reframing At-Risk to High-Potential: Supporting the Achievement and Success of Underprepared Students in the Critical First Year of College (Thomas Brown and Mario Rivas); (5) Developing and Engaging Educators to Support First-Year Student Success (Thomas Brown and Christine Johnson McPhail); and (6) Creating Effective Transfer Initiatives (Thomas J. Grites and Susan Rondeau). Part III, A Comprehensive First-Year Experience in the Community College, contains: (7) Building Paths to Student Success: Planning and Implementing for Effective Student Transition (Betsy O. Barefoot, Paul Arcario, and Ana Guzman); (8) Academic Advising Models to Support First-Year Student Success (Margaret C. King and Rusty N. Fox); (9) Career Development: An Essential Component of First-Year Experiences and Student Transitions (Patricia Stanley); (10) Learning Communities and Community Colleges: The Challenges and Benefits (Randy Jedele with Vincent Tinto); (11) Increasing Access and Success for First-Year Students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (Kim Armstrong); and (12) Fulfilling the Promise: Summary and Recommendations (Thomas Brown, Margaret C. King, and Patricia Stanley). An index is included.