What do an Academy Award nominated actor, the first female space shuttle commander, the governor of Hawaii, and a past president of the NAACP have in common? All four got their start at a community college. Are you surprised? You shouldn't be.

For millions of students across the country community colleges provide educational excellence at an affordable price, making it a great place for students to begin their academic careers — especially in Missouri, where qualified students can earn a "free ride" courtesy of the A+ Scholarship.

"For students who meet the requirements, the A+ program (details at dhe.mo.gov) can provide two years of a college education with no tuition costs. For us that's a $2,040 savings per year at 12 credit hours per semester," explained Kathy Brockgreitens-Gober, dean of Enrollment Services at St. Charles Community College.

But money isn't the only reason to consider the community college option as Yvette Sweeney, dean of Student Development explained. "It's a great place to explore career options while completing your general education requirements."

And for students who may need some time to adjust to college life, either academically or emotionally, the community college environment might be the perfect fit.

"For me, it was a lot less intimidating than a four-year college," explained SCC student Eddie O'Neil. "I wasn't the best student in high school because I never learned the skills to be a good student, but the community college taught me those skills."

O'Neil said he went from being a not-so-great high school student to being on the dean's list at SCC. He'll graduate from SCC in December and plans to pursue a political science degree at either Truman University or Southeast Missouri State University. Long-term, he has his eye on law school at New York University.

"Many students enter college without a well defined idea of what they want to do," acknowledged Dean Sweeney. "But community colleges provide career counseling and degree programs that can help them decide on a future that is well suited to them."

"That's so true," echoed O'Neil. "I was very undecided, a wayward soul, but here I could focus on my gen eds and discover what was right for me."

Regardless of whether students attend the community college for career training, or as an alternate path to a four-year degree, Sweeney said the goal is provide them with the skills they need to make good decisions for the rest of their lives.

"Our faculty is great at this," she said. "Not only are they wonderful instructors, but they also help in advising our students about important next steps. Plus, we offer career counseling and job-shadowing that allows students to test drive a career before committing to a particular path or degree program. Ultimately, we want to make it an easy transition from our campus to wherever they go next."

According to O'Neil, SCC has succeeded in that regard. "I attribute a great deal of my success to this faculty and staff."

"One of the benefits of the community college is that our classes are smaller and our students can really get to know our instructors," Sweeney said.

Smaller classes and a smaller campus also make it easier to make friends among the student body and gain leadership experience.

"My first semester here, I was so shy," O"Neil said. "But once I got to know the instructors and became involved in student organizations (he is secretary of the Student Senate, president of S.A.G.E, and a past member of the International Club), I realized that my college experience was comparable to my friends at four-year universities." Just like at four-year colleges, he said, the Student Activities Office always has something planned.

Through the decades, community colleges have become cognizant of the fact that students need the full experience of college life, complete with activities, athletics, academics and many other paths to success. And, as Dean Brockgreitens-Gober pointed, they can be the perfect environment to cultivate more than just the maturity and skills.

"For students who choose to transfer from the community college to a four-year university, there is a great deal of financial assistance in terms of scholarships." She encouraged students to visit the community college's website for details.

For many students, like Eddie O'Neil, the community college also offers the chance to raise GPAs and be eligible for those transfer scholarships.

"The reason I love this place so much is because it really allows for your growth as an individual," O'Neil said.