Dr. Brett Ranon Nachman

What made SCC the right fit for you?

I started SCC as a home-schooled, dual-enrolled high schooler. SCC was a convenient and accessible institution that would enable me to become embedded in a college environment. With its small class sizes, variety of degree options, and sense of community, this would be the perfect place to begin my college experience

Tell us about your time at SCC.

I was actively involved in student life, from leading the campus newspaper to presiding over the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society chapter (Psi Gamma). During these experiences, I enjoyed sharing stories of various campus community members, collaborating with colleagues in staging educational programming and feeling engaged in the evolution of our campus. I loved getting to know many faculty members and staff who supported my journey

Tell us about your favorite memory of SCC.

The most significant memory during my time at SCC unfolded on the very last day when I delivered my student commencement speech during graduation. I was beyond thrilled (and anxious) to have the opportunity to be selected for this role, and it represented a "defining moment" for me, as I used that space to publicly share for the first time about how autism had shaped my life and academic journey. I finally felt comfortable being vulnerable about a part of me that I had long kept hidden and, more importantly, pride over the structural challenges I had battled to succeed in life. I was extremely touched to be met by a standing ovation and many individuals coming to me after the speech to discuss their connections to autism. This night remains perhaps one of the most important of my entire life

What value has SCC brought to your personal life and career?

On a personal note, many of the friends I made 12-15 years ago as an SCC student remain core individuals in my life; they were there for my doctoral graduation and will continue to support me as I embrace additional opportunities. Similarly, several of the faculty and staff have remained core connections of mine, people who I still consult for advice and share experiences. As for how SCC shaped my career direction, it was through interviewing various community members that I built my foundation of learning about academia and the people who belong to these educational institutions. Though I was pursuing a journalism degree at the time, as I wrapped up my Bachelor's at ASU, I realized that I sought to have a career where academia would be the centerpiece. Consequently, I ultimately attained my master's and doctorate in higher education, in which I conducted research about, among other topics, community college student transfer pathways. I also engage in scholarship around autism in higher education, for which most people in my space associate me. SCC continues to be a piece of my academic pride; most colleagues are aware that I went to the school with Artie the Artichoke as a mascot and see my associate degree hanging on my wall alongside my doctoral degree.

Tell us about your involvement at SCC: list extracurricular and co-curricular affiliations such as clubs, organizations, programs, honors, and athletic teams. What role did that involvement play in your overall SCC experience?

I led two student organizations: the Green Club (focused on environmental issues) and the Psi Gamma chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Theta Kappa. I also worked across all levels of the student newspaper for over two years. I was actively engaged in the honors program and various student life efforts. These spaces allowed me to connect with many individuals and contribute to the campus community.

Tell us what degrees or certificates you earned or what types of classes you completed at SCC.

B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication.

List any scholarship(s) you received while attending SCC.

Honors Program Scholarship

Tell us about your journey after graduating from SCC. Where did you start and where are you now? This can include information about your education, service, and career paths

I pursued graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in its leading Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis department. There I took courses around issues in higher education and conducted numerous research projects around issues on community college transfer, LGBTQ+ campus climate, and autism and disability in higher education. During this time I also joined the leadership team of College Autism Network, a nonprofit organization centered on advocacy, research, and training in higher education. After receiving my doctorate in 2021, I served as a postdoctoral researcher at the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research at NC State University and then as an Assistant Professor of Adult and Lifelong Learning at the University of Arkansas. In Fall 2024, I will make another institutional transition as I embark on a new chapter as an Assistant Professor of Higher Education at the University of Pittsburgh. Career highlights include being named a K. Patricia Cross Future Leader from the American Association of Colleges & Universities and an ECMC Foundation Career and Technical Education Postsecondary Research Fellow. Most notably, reflecting my engagement in research on autism in higher education, I was thrilled to receive, with my colleague Dr. Bradley E. Cox, a $500,000 grant from the Spencer Foundation as we make sense of autistic college student success. This research study is allowing us to study, at a national level for the first time, the experiences of autistic undergraduate college students and what matters to them in terms of feeling successful (e.g., mental health, friendship, graduation, employment).

What advice would you give others embarking on their college journey? What would you say to convince someone to come to SCC?

SCC represents a "community" in the truest sense of the word. Everyone enters college from various vantage points. SCC honors that spirit by creating opportunities that foster comfort, friendship, and academic possibilities for students across numerous life experiences and entry points.