The Committee on Chemistry in Two-Year Colleges (COCTYC) is the executive committee governing the Two-Year College Chemistry Consortium, 2YC3. 2YC3 is an external membership organization with a vision to Advance first- and second- year college chemistry education and support the mission to Build community, support professional development and advocate for first and second-year college chemistry faculty. The COCTYC facilitates 2YC3 strategic goals of 1) Building community; 2) Professional Development; and 3) Advocate by coordinating professional development conferences, and webinars along with publishing newsletters and providing online resources for chemical educators teaching the first two years of college chemistry.
2YC3 hosted our 225th conference May 30 – 31, 2025 at Johnson County Community College, in Overland Park, KS. Over 75 chemical educators from primarily two-year colleges presented in symposium tracks aligned with the conference theme “Using High Impact Practices to Empower Chemistry Students.” Conference organizer Dr. Melanie Harvey along with a team of volunteers planned an engaging and highly interactive event that included 30+ presentations, a student poster session, campus tours and a keynote speaker, Dr. Heather Seitz, Professor of Microbiology, Johnson County Community College, who spoke on “Building Assessments for Student Success.”
The 2YC3 Executive Committee (COCTYC) will also be joined by the Two-Year College Program Director at the ACS Office of Higher Education, currently Dr. Ashlee Wrenne, as a staff liaison to 2YC3. We are excited about the opportunity to better connect and support the activities of 2YC3 with the ACS Office of Higher Education.
Virtual Conferences / Professional Development
Our Friday Webinar series will continue in Fall 2025. All presentations are on a Friday starting at 1100 Pacific time (= noon Mountain = 1:00pm Central = 2:00pm Eastern). These webinars, co-sponsored by ChemEd Xchange and College Chemistry Canada (C3), provide timely professional development and networking for all chemical educators. Registration is free and open to all.
Interested in presenting at a 2YC3 webinar? Contact Scott.Donnelly@azwestern.edu
Preparing for Fall elections
We continue to recruit individuals to get involved in the new leadership and committee structure of 2YC3. We are currently soliciting nominations for elected leadership positions for Fall elections to fill vacant Executive Board positions.
Future In-Person Conferences & Networking events
Our goal is to host at least one 2YC3 conference each year along with having a presence at larger chemical education conferences such as BCCE. We are in the planning stages for the following events:
Tentative dates and interested host sites for future 2YC3 conferences:
- May 2026, Montgomery College, MD
- May 2027, Georgia Perimeter College, Atlanta, GA
- May 2028, Temple College, Temple, TX
BCCE 2026, University of Wisconsin – Madison, July 2026
- Bird of a Feather event for 2YC3 members
- 2YC3 sponsored conference-wide social event
- Technical programming for faculty focused on first two years of college chemistry
C3 College Chemistry Canada Conference (C3), Nunavut Arctic College, May 29-June 1, 2026
- 2YC3 Representative (S. Donnelly) plans to present and represent 2YC3.
These proposed activities align with the 2YC3 Strategic planning goals to 1) Build community, 2) Professional Development and 3) Advocate. They also align with DivCHED Strategic Planning goals of 1) Engagement & Inclusivity, 2) Professional Development and 3) Identifying & Communicating Value to members of DivCHED that also teach in the first and second year of chemistry space.
Yes. A request of $5000 from DivCHED Strategic Planning fund, initially awarded in 2024, was carried over to allocate in 2025.
2YC3 thanks the Division for this support which demonstrates the commitment to members in the two-year college community and aligns with the Strategic goal of professional development opportunities and engagement for members.
Funds were used to support up to 10 travel awards ($500 each) for DivCHED/2YC3 members to attend and participate in the 2YC3 conference at Johnson County Community College, May 30-31, 2025. A total of 7 (seven) travel awards ($3500) were allocated from the approved funds.
The DivCHED funds were used as travel awards ($500 each) to 7 individuals that were members of both DivCHED and 2YC3 to support their attendance and active involvement in the conference. The DivCHED funding also allowed the matching $5000 from the 2YC3 budget to support an additional 10 travel awards ($500 each) to conference participants that were 2YC3 members but not DivCHED members. Of these 10 individuals, the majority were first time conference attendees who would not have been able to attend without travel support.
2YC3 thanks the Division for this support which demonstrates the commitment to members in the two-year college community and aligns with the Strategic goal of professional development opportunities and engagement for members.