THE FOLLOWING IS A DANVILLE AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE RELEASE
DANVILLE, Ill. — Danville Area Community College has officially released its 2026–2031 Strategic Plan, A Future Written in Success, a five-year roadmap designed to strengthen student success, modernize teaching and learning, deepen community partnerships and prepare the College to meet the changing workforce needs of East Central Illinois.
The plan is guided by DACC’s updated vision statement: “Every student, every story, a future written in success. “It focuses on meeting students where they are while adapting to changing technology, workforce demands and the needs of the communities DACC serves.
The strategic plan centers on four primary pillars: Our Students, Our Teaching & Learning, Our Community and Our Institution. Priorities include, improving student retention and career placement, expanding hands-on learning, strengthening workforce partnerships, improving campus life and ensuring the College remains financially and operationally strong.
“This is not a plan we want to see sit on a shelf and collect dust,” said Melissa Rome, DACC Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Initiatives. “We want a plan that keeps moving us forward.”
Development of the plan was an 18-month collaborative process involving DACC faculty, staff, students, industry partners and the community. A community-wide survey received 250 responses, with students accounting for half of those responses. DACC also conducted 14 focus groups involving more than 60 participants. Feedback helped identify College strengths—including affordability, scholarships, small class sizes and dedicated faculty—as well as opportunities to improve admissions, communication, technology, student spaces and campus life.
Among the initiatives outlined in the plan are incorporating digital and artificial intelligence literacy across academic disciplines, developing short-term micro-credentials, simplifying application and registration, expanding early-alert advising and student support services, and creating an Open Lab Project that will give students broader access to high-tech equipment across campus. DACC also plans to launch the Finish What You Started Initiative, aimed at reconnecting with area residents who have earned 45 or more college credits but have not completed a degree.
The plan also strengthens DACC’s connection to regional employers by aligning programs with high-demand industries including healthcare, precision manufacturing, automotive, diesel, electrical and wind technologies.
Progress will be measured throughout the five-year period through quarterly reviews, annual key performance indicator audits, biannual updates to the DACC Board of Trustees and a formal midpoint evaluation.
As DACC celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2026, the strategic plan also connects the College’s history with its future—preserving longstanding strengths such as affordability, strong faculty relationships and deep community connections while positioning DACC to remain a catalyst for educational opportunity and regional prosperity for years to come.
NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT: Danville Area Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs and activities, including admissions and employment. Inquiries may be directed to Jill A. Cranmore, Vice President, Human Resources, Affirmative Action Officer, Title IX Coordinator, and Section 504/ADA Coordinator, Danville Area Community College, 2000 E. Main St., Martin Luther King Memorial Way, Danville, IL 61832-5199, 217-443-8756, or j.cranmore@dacc.edu.
ABOUT DACC: Danville Area Community College is a comprehensive community college serving Illinois District 507, which consists of Vermilion County and parts of Champaign, Iroquois, Edgar, and Ford counties, since 1946. The College offers Associate degrees and certificates in both university transfer and applied career and technical programs. DACC’s historic, 76-acre main campus is located at 2000 East Main Street, Danville. The College has a higher-learning center in Hoopeston at 847 E. Orange. To apply to DACC, call 217-443-3222 or visit the Web site at www.DACC.EDU.
