Subdistrict 2 Summer 2026 Report

A Message from Trustee Reed

Dear Community,

I continue to be honored to represent you and all of Subdistrict 2 on the
Metropolitan Community College Board of Trustees. I would like to thank all of you who came out to the polls earlier this year to re-elect me to serve another term. My commitment to responsible financial stewardship of your tax dollars and opening doors to new opportunities for students will not waiver.

As a trustee, my primary focus has been creating tangible, equitable pathways
to success for our community. That is why I have proudly championed the KC
Guarantee—an initiative I have fought for to ensure that high school graduates
in our community have a guaranteed path to a college degree or employable
credential at absolutely no cost. In this newsletter, you will learn more about how this landmark program is changing the educational landscape for our families.

In addition to the KC Guarantee, this has been a year of exciting new developments across MCC. Starting this fall, right here in Subdistrict 2, we are launching MCC’s first-ever four-year degree at the MCC Penn-Valley Health Science Institute: a Bachelor of Applied Science in Respiratory Care. This brings an affordable, high-quality four-year program directly to our neighborhood, preparing healthcare providers for a critically high-demand field. You will also find updates on the newly expanded MCC-Longview Automotive Institute, another premier program designed to meet rapid employment growth in Kansas City.

As always, I encourage you to contact me with your questions, comments and suggestions for how MCC can best serve our community. Thank you for your continued partnership as we build a stronger community together.

To stay engaged with the Board of Trustees and keep up with the latest exciting developments across
Metropolitan Community College, please visit our website or follow our official social media platforms.

Thank you for your continued partnership as we build a stronger community together.

Jermaine Reed
MCC Trustee-Subdistrict 2

BOARD OF TRUSTEES FEEDBACK FORM

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Trustee Spotlight

Girl Scouts “Power Up” at Trades Camp

If it's summer, you likely encountered high-school-age Girl Scouts at MCC-Penn Valley Advanced Technical Skills Institute (ATSI) in midtown. This summer marks the third annual edition of the Scouts' Power Up Trades Camp, an exploration of career fields traditionally dominated by men, such as welding and wiring. One day of the camp was about construction, and the project at hand was building doghouses. Pretty nice ones, in fact. Crews from both Fox 4 and KMBC 9 stopped by to see what was going on.

"If I was born back then," a Scout named Natalee told Channel 9, referring to days of yore covered in history class, "I could not do this stuff. I could not even learn how to do any of this. But luckily, things have changed."

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Jermaine Reed Reelected to Metropolitan Community College Board of Trustees

On Tuesday, April 7, Jermaine Reed was reelected to the Metropolitan Community College (MCC) Board of Trustees.

Reed won in a landslide vote and will continue representing Subdistrict 2, which runs along the Missouri side of the state line and includes the MCC-Penn Valley Campus.  
"This victory belongs to our community. Since 2011, it has been my distinct honor to serve this region—first on the City Council and, since 2020, as a member of the MCC Board of Trustees,” Reed said. “I am deeply humbled that the voters have entrusted me with another six-year term. To be chosen by this community for over 15 years is a responsibility I carry with immense pride. Moving forward, I remain committed to a future focused on robust workforce development, technological innovation and ensuring educational access for all."

The Board of Trustees has fiduciary responsibility for MCC, which primarily serves the Missouri side of the Greater Kansas City area: Cass, Clay, Jackson, Lafayette and Platte counties. A trustee is elected from each of six subdistricts within the MCC District. Trustees are elected to serve staggered six-year terms.
Reed was sworn in for his new six-year term at the April 23 meeting of the Board of Trustees.

This is the second term for Trustee Reed. For the last six years, Reed has provided stellar leadership that has resulted in the following outcomes:

• Executive Leadership: Served as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and as the Board Liaison for the MCC Foundation.
• Innovation & Technology: Championed the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies within the academic curriculum.
• Growth Initiatives: Advocated for strategic enrollment management to increase student participation across the district.
• Workforce Readiness: Prioritized the expansion of professional trades and vocational training to meet regional economic demands.
• Educational Equity: Focused on removing barriers to ensure all community members have a path to higher education and career success

For more information on the Metropolitan Community College Board of Trustees, including meeting agendas and minutes, visit our Board of Trustees page.

MCC Trustee Jermaine Reed re-elected to National ACCT Board of Directors

Metropolitan Community College Board of Trustees member Jermaine Reed was elected to a second term on the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Board of Directors. The election took place Oct. 23-24 during the 2025 ACCT Leadership Congress in New Orleans.

“I’m deeply honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve a second three-year term as a member of ACCT’s Board of Directors,” Reed said.

ACCT is a nonprofit organization that represents the governing boards of community, technical and junior colleges in the U.S. It promotes the interests of community colleges to federal and state officials and offers training and resources for trustees.

Reed has served on the MCC Board of Trustees since 2020, representing the College’s Subdistrict 2 and serving as board vice president (2022-24). As an MCC trustee, he has played a role in developing the MCC Reimagined Strategic Plan 2022-2031, served as master of ceremonies at MCC commencements, and much more.

A national voice for Kansas City’s priorities

In his continued service, Trustee Reed emphasized his priorities both locally and nationally.

“Community colleges are the bedrock of workforce development and economic mobility. I am committed to strengthening that foundation and ensuring our institution has a powerful voice at the national level,” Reed said. “Locally, I will continue my advocacy for free community college for all students in the metro area and I am fully committed to ensuring our students and college remain on the cutting edge with advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies.”

From his prominent national position, Reed said, he will continue to advocate for the vital needs of Greater Kansas City.

“I plan to use my voice on the ACCT Board to passionately represent the needs and opportunities of the Kansas City community on the national stage. I look forward to fostering collaboration across our country to ensure that every student has the resources they need to succeed, and that our region’s educational goals are heard and acted upon at the highest levels of policy and funding.”

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KC Guarantee, a bold new vision for more affordable college access

Metropolitan Community College, Kansas City has launched KC Guarantee, a transformative initiative designed to make college more accessible and affordable by guaranteeing up to two years of tuition-free education for eligible students.

MCC will pilot the KC Guarantee in three Kansas City area school districts — Center, Grandview and Hickman Mills — with plans to invite additional districts, institutions and regional partners in the future. Through the KC Guarantee, students will be guaranteed a paid path through college, positioning each student for a job or transfer.

“We are launching a bold promise to our students and our community,” said MCC Chancellor and CEO Dr. Kimberly Beatty. “The KC Guarantee ensures that cost will not be a barrier to education. This is about economic mobility, workforce readiness and transforming generations.”

The KC Guarantee is made possible through powerful public/private collaborations, including a $1 million Jackson County (Mo.) Nonprofit Partnership Grant awarded to the MCC Foundation to support the pilot year. MCC will match that investment, creating a $2 million commitment to launch the program. The initiative was also seeded through a major philanthropic investment from Meta’s Kansas City Data Center, one of the MCC Foundation’s largest corporate partners this year. Meta and Great Jobs KC alongside MCC leadership played a foundational role in shaping the vision of the KC Guarantee.

“When Meta comes to a community, we believe in investing in its long-term economic vitality,” said Stef Seger, community development manager for Meta’s Kansas City Data Center. “This partnership with MCC will transform access to education and help build a workforce pipeline that reflects the strength and diversity of Kansas City.”

The goal of the KC Guarantee is to build a network of employers, donors, colleges and school districts offering their own guarantees to a next generation of educated and skilled workers for Kansas City.

Find out how to apply for the KC Guarantee

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MCC-Longview opens state-of-art Automotive Institute and launches a new automotive program

Seven years in the making, MCC’s leadership envisioned modernizing the automotive technology program to expand workforce training opportunities.

In its initial phase, the existing automotive High Technology building was renovated and the collision repair program was expanded. Now after more than a year since its ground-breaking, the new MCC-Longview Automotive Institute combines its academic and corporate training programs entirely in one building, including its new diesel technology program.

The new program is equipped with state-of-the art equipment with ten bays specific to the needs of diesel motor and commercial vehicles, allowing for hands-on learning in this industry specific field. The first program cohort begins in the Fall 2026. 

“For more than 60 years, MCC has set the standard for automotive training and education in our region, preparing more than 9,500 students for careers in the industry,” stated Dr. Beatty, Chancellor and CEO of Metropolitan Community College. “Now with expanded capabilities, open-concept design and modernized teaching labs, MCC is in the position to further its impact even more.”

The new renovated institute includes:

• Dedicated space for each of the three automotive programs
• A second-floor observation bridge overlooking 24 automotive work bays
• Expanded footprint for the Collision program

The project was led by architect firm DLR Group and general contractor McCown Gordon, in partnership with LM2 Construction. The Automotive Institute has an open architectural design inspired by modern auto dealerships.

Many of Missouri’s state and local elected leaders joined MCC staff, faculty and its project partners at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 5, including Congressman Emanual Cleaver, Missouri Speaker Rep. Jon Patterson, Rep. Keri Ingle of MO-District 35 and Lee’s Summit Mayor Beto Lopez to name a few. 



“Today dedication is a huge milestone for the City of Lee’s Summit. We take a lot of pride in Lee’s Summit with workforce initiatives … we would like to be considered the model for workforce initiatives,” stated Mayor Lopez. “This is a huge need for our community and across the country, and to have that here in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, we’re very proud of that, we will be a continued partner as long as I am mayor.”

The MCC-Longview Automotive Institute is the fifth and final building of the Path Forward Capital Campaign led by the MCC Foundation, and it completes the second and final phase of the campaign. The mission of the Path Forward Capital Campaign is to strengthen MCC’s workforce pipeline of local talent by adding scholarships, enhance programs and state-of-the-art facilities. 

“We will continue to tackle the region’s economic and workforce challenges with new programs, new buildings and partner with employers to fill in industry and talent gaps,” stated Dr. Beatty.

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MCC Welcomes the World Cup

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MCC Raises Record $462,000 at 2026 MLK Scholarship Luncheon

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Metropolitan Community College Celebrates First-Ever Bachelor’s Degree Program

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Congratulations to the MCC class of 2026