I’ve been part of great teams throughout my career and life. Auburn University, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, the USA Dream Team, Inside the NBA on TNT broadcast team, just to name a few. Now, I’ve joined a new team, the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), the HOME TEAM.
Why would a guy who attended a 4-year college back the 2-year college system? Because, I’ve personally seen what community colleges can do for a family, MY FAMILY, and community, MY COMMUNITY. Everything I’ve done is to try and make Alabama proud. I love Alabama, it will always be home and anything I can do to help, I want to do it.
I was lucky enough to make a living dribbling a basketball, but most people have to get real jobs. There are so many jobs out there in healthcare, tech, manufacturing, aviation and a bunch more I haven’t begun to think about. But the ACCS is thinking about those jobs and they’re training people for better jobs, and in the process, changing lives every single day. It’s providing opportunities for people to get the education and training they need to succeed. Whether it’s helping a high school student start early with dual enrollment, offering associate degree programs or 2-to-4 year transfer options, preparing adults to switch careers, or giving second chances to those who’ve made mistakes, the ACCS is making a real difference.
Recently, I had a chance to visit Southern Union State Community College’s (SUSCC) campus in Opelika, a school I am very familiar with. My brother attended Southern Union. While there, I had a chance to meet and speak with a few graduates who really inspired me. I met a woman who struggled academically and was told her dream school, Auburn University, was not an option. The SUSCC faculty and staff believed in her, nurtured her, taught her, and she eventually transferred to Auburn. She is now an engineer working in Georgia. I met a single mom who returned to school to provide for her family and is now working in the aviation industry. And, I met a young man named Adam who overcame addiction, enrolled in SUSCC’S Adult Education program, and eventually graduated with a degree in Industrial Maintenance. He’s now earning a six-figure salary. They, and many more people like them, are why I want to be a part of this team.
The ACCS also believes in second chances, I sat and talked with Annette Funderburk, the president of Ingram State Technical College, the only two-year college in the country where all of the students are incarcerated. Every day, the dedicated folks at Ingram offer people who’ve made mistakes a way to climb back up. They learn skills, find purpose, and discover that it’s never too late to turn things around.
The ACCS has a new slogan, “Make Life Better.” You don’t need to look far to see why that fits. We all have a connection to community colleges whether you’ve attended or know someone who has. Community college is nothing to be ashamed of, it’s not a backup plan, it’s a launching pad to life-changing opportunity and I want to add the fuel to help the citizens of Alabama take off. That’s why I’ve pledge to donate $1 million over the course of the next 10 years to the ACCS.
When I think about Alabama’s future, I see opportunity. And the ACCS is a huge part of that vision. They’re not just building careers—they’re building hope and possibility for every corner of Alabama. That matters to me!
Trust me, they’ve got a plan, and it’s a game-changer for anyone ready to take that next step toward a brighter future.
Charles Barkley, a Hall of Fame basketball legend and esteemed NBA and college basketball analyst, hails from Alabama. A dedicated advocate for education and workforce development, he actively champions opportunities that empower individuals to build brighter futures.
Charles Barkley, a Hall of Fame basketball legend from Leeds, rose to fame worldwide through his blockbuster NBA career. Now a renowned analyst on Inside the NBA, Barkley remains connected to his home state as an advocate for education, workforce development, the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), and its ability to create life-changing opportunities for Alabamians.
