(10) Interview with Dr. Jo Blondin

“You have to look people in the eye, project confidence and do your best..."

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Dr. Jo Blondin, President of Clark State Community College serves in many capacities in the Dayton community. Yet, her top priority is the development of students- making sure they are either work-force ready or prepared to transition to a four-year institution. In a Lean In Dayton interview, she explains how two-year colleges such as Clark State are often necessary to the preliminary development of college students and serves as a critical pathway to successful futures.

Lean In Dayton: You are currently making some changes at Clark State. How crucial is it to remap that way we look at junior colleges or associate degrees?

Dr. Jo Blondin: It is the workforce issue of our time. Associate degrees and certificates are proven to be more valuable in some cases than four-year degrees and in order to close the skills gap here in the United States, and allow for our population to make not just a living wage, but enter the middle class and achieve the American dream. In a certain way, community colleges are the gateway to the middle class. So it's never been more important.

Lean In Dayton: You hold a Ph.D. in English from Arizona State University; Master of Arts in English from Arizona State University; and Bachelor of Arts from Purdue University majoring in English with a minor in Spanish. It would seem that you carefully mapped out your career path. Did you plan or envision presiding over an educational institution?

Dr. Jo Blondin: You know, I did. It was one of my goals. A very unhappy freshman year in college spurred my career goals. I felt very disconnected. When I was a freshman at Purdue, I was more interested in let's say the social aspects of being in college. Though I was a strong student in high school, I did not focus the way I needed to in my freshman year, particularly my first semester. In some ways, I was not emotionally, psychologically or even academically prepared for a four-year institution and so I had the opportunity to refocus myself and really commit to being a good student after my first semester, freshman year. I realized something was missing. I got straight A's that second semester, but then I realized there was an aspect of my education that was missing which was a connection with people and fellow students on campus. I got involved with Purdue student government, particularly in my sophomore, junior and senior years. Consequently, I saw that we were making some changes and impacting the campus itself. Once I realized that students banding together could make a difference, I took a look at the larger institution and realized that I could change things. I felt that, if I were in charge, I would change things. It was during my junior year in college, that I said that I wanted to be a college president.

Lean In Dayton: Was there something going on at the time at your university that made you reflect on the college environment which led to you wanting to make changes?

Dr. Jo Blondin: Not exactly. I felt that I wanted to have a say. It was really about having the opportunity to be collaborative and be heard by the administration and make some changes. Particularly, I was very involved in women’s issues and issues of diversity and equality. That galvanized my involvement in student government and the campus.