The EdUp Experience What America's Original Community College Teaches About the Future - with Dr. Clyne Namuo, President, Joliet Junior College
Oct 9, 2025
Dr. Clyne Namuo, President of Joliet Junior College and a Native Hawaiian leader, discusses innovative initiatives at the nation's first community college. He shares his vision for 2075, including a digital twin named 'Cyber Clyne' to enhance personalized learning. Namuo reveals an ambitious design thinking challenge that empowers all staff to propose transformative projects. He highlights the importance of cultural values in leadership and how they help foster inclusivity for a diverse student body, emphasizing community impact and future-focused education.
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First Community College Identity
- Joliet Junior College (JJC) is proud to be the nation's first community college and uses that identity as a leadership and branding anchor.
- Dr. Clyne Namuo treats institutional history as an obligation and a guiding innovation narrative.
People Before Positions
- JJC serves a diverse suburban region and now enrolls over 30% Hispanic and 55% first-generation students.
- The college emphasizes honoring students' full identities to deepen inclusion and equitable outcomes.
Anchor Decisions In Core Values
- Anchor institutions in core values before crises to avoid being adrift during policy or political changes.
- Proactively form campus task forces to monitor and respond to external uncertainty.
