Since the presidential election, some have argued that colleges aren’t doing enough to help working-class people—men in particular—pursue the types of technical training that will get them good jobs.

A community college in Arkansas, however, is among those that have found success with just that population, but it's with programs that are often short-term and difficult for students to pay for with federal financial aid.

In the past, accreditation was focused on “what and how,” says Liang Chee Wee, president of Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC).

“Now it’s more about why, about the impact we have, and the difference we can make,” he says.