Professional Dispositions++: Elevating Collaborative and Experiential Learning in Two-Year Programs

Experiential and collaborative activities—such as clubs, competitions, and advising—are proven to enhance student retention by fostering engagement and persistence. With shifting industry demands and workforce needs, competencies and professional dispositions have become essential. This experience report describes a collaboration between two community colleges in different regions to apply these methods in developing skills and a strong sense of belonging in computing. Activities were aligned with ACM/IEEE-CS/AAAI CS2023 guidelines, ensuring relevance to current industry standards. Shared practices yielded valuable insights into supporting student success and strengthening professional identity.