Don Strange admits the cap and gown he wore earlier this month in graduation ceremonies at Front Range Community College made him feel a little out-of-place.
“I asked (FRCC) President Andy Dorsey if I was wearing everything correctly, since I had never done anything like this before,” the 54-year-old Strange said. “He said I looked fine. And let me tell you I was so humbled and grateful and so honored to get this degree.”
Strange was the first graduate of FRCC’s new degree program in highway maintenance management. Strange, who dropped out of high school to take care of his baby sister after his dad died, helped design the program and hopes to see other colleges in the country offer it to workers looking to advance their careers.
“People don’t realize highway managers across the country manage assets in the millions of dollars,” said Strange, who manages two divisions for the city of Highland Village in Texas. “It costs two million dollars to build one mile of street. It’s the kind of work that demands special training and skills.”
The two-year associate of applied science degree is the first and only of its kind in the country. The program — which can be taken online — was developed in collaboration with a number of industry partners, including Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado Local Technical Assistance Program and county and municipal public works departments, according to FRCC.
Students develop skills in project management, planning supervision, communication and team building, FRCC states.
The program is needed as openings in highway maintenance go unfilled, including in Colorado, where there are 830 openings annually for highway maintenance work, FRCC states.
Nationwide, the industry had no degree specific to highway maintenance management, said Sue Baillargeon, director of FRCC’s program in a news release. “Don and his classmates have focused their careers on keeping our roads safe and keeping us all moving every day,” Baillargeon said. “Now they’re helping raise the bar for the entire industry.”
Dorsey said the program fits perfectly with FRCC’s commitment to offer opportunities for those who didn’t think they’d go to college. “Community colleges are here to give first-generation students like Don a chance to improve their careers — and their lives — through education,” Dorsey said.
Strange began taking classes in the new FRCC program in 2019 and helped develop the curriculum. He said he drew on his 34 years of experience in road maintenance to frame a program that is relevant and useful.
“... I can tell you FRCC offers a quality education that translates well in the field,” Strange said. He also was drawn to the program because it offered flexibility on-line learning.
Strange began his career filling potholes and gradually worked his way to management positions in Texas cities. He also gained credits for training and skills he already accumulated. The credits cut the cost of his degree by almost 50%, he said.
He also created lengthy portfolios of his work to demonstrate his experience and technical skills to earn 24 credits without having to to actually take and pay for additional courses, a FRCC news release states.
“Don was here and ready to go from the first day,” said Baillargeon. “We couldn’t ask for a better student.”
Strange now wants to attend classes at Midwestern State University in Texas to complete a bachelor’s degree in construction technology. “No, I am not quite done,” Strange said. “I still have some paths I want to take in my education.”
