DALLAS COUNTY, Texas - Dallas College is marking 60 years of serving Dallas County by looking ahead, emphasizing adaptability, technology, and workforce readiness as it reimagines how education prepares students for the future.
Founded on an open-access mission, Dallas College has spent six decades providing affordable education and career pathways for students across the region. College leaders say that mission remains central as the institution evolves to meet the demands of a rapidly changing job market.
Dr. Paul Benson, a longtime English professor at the Mountain View Campus, has seen more than five decades of transformation at Dallas College. He said one of the most dramatic changes has been the role of technology in education.
Coursework once completed on typewriters is now entirely digital, and meetings that once took days to coordinate can now be scheduled instantly.
“These are resources that were not available years ago,” Benson said.
Despite those changes, Benson said the college’s open-access model continues to define its impact.
“Everyone gets in, which means everyone has opportunities at Dallas College,” he said. “The opportunity for students to excel is there.”
As students enter a workforce shaped by rapidly evolving technology, college leaders say being “future ready” means preparing for careers that may not yet exist. Dr. Greg Morris, senior vice provost for Academic Services, said job requirements now change at an unprecedented pace.
“The goal for Dallas College is to build pathways to high-wage, high-demand careers,” Morris said.
Those pathways include short-term credentials and embedded industry certifications aligned with workforce needs. Morris said the college has become more intentional about integrating certifications directly into academic programs.
“Students leave not only with a valued credential, but also with industry certifications that employers desperately need,” he said.
One example is Dallas College’s partnership with Google through the Grow with Google program, which introduces students to career certificates in emerging technologies. Last year, more than 100 dual-credit students were introduced to Google’s data analytics certification as part of a traditional math course, allowing them to meet graduation requirements while earning an industry-recognized credential.
The college has also launched a Bachelor of Applied Technology degree with tracks in areas such as machine learning and data analytics.
“We focus on equipping students with the skills to immediately impact the workforce in critical areas,” Morris said.
Looking ahead to Dallas College’s 100th anniversary in 2065, Morris said personalized learning and strong critical-thinking skills will shape the institution’s next chapter. He also emphasized the importance of ethics as technology continues to reshape society.
“How we design, implement and maintain technology will be critical to the future job market,” he said.
For today’s students, Morris offered simple advice as careers become more fluid.
“Be adaptable,” he said, noting that many workers are expected to change careers every few years. He encouraged students to build broad skill sets that include communication, project management, and ethical reasoning.
“Be open to learning,” Morris said. “Dallas College will be here to provide.”
