Photo by Allison Shelley/Complete College Photo Library
The Complete College Photo Library, offers nearly 1,000 professional-quality images available free through Creative Commons licensing. The collection features authentic portrayals of students across community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), regional universities, and workforce training programs.
"College students are more likely to be working learners, parents, veterans, first-generation college-goers, and professionals seeking to upskill, rather than the full-time, residential, straight-from-high-school archetype depicted in the majority of media and publications on higher education," said Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva, president of Complete College America.
The initiative addresses a significant gap between perception and reality in higher education imagery. Current statistics reveal that more than one in four students (26%) is raising a child while pursuing their education, and roughly 40% of undergraduates are over 25. Additionally, over 40% of students enrolled in postsecondary education attend community colleges, while HBCUs enroll 10% of all Black students in the U.S., and Hispanic Serving Institutions serve more than 65% of all Hispanic undergraduates.
Despite these demographics, media representations have historically focused on traditional four-year residential colleges and younger students. Recent data from the Common App shows a sharp increase in financially independent students, many of whom are returning to college later in life.
Complete College America selected seven partner institutions for the inaugural cohort through their nationwide CCA Alliance network: Bergen Community College, College of Northern New Mexico, College of Southern Nevada, Salish Kootenai College, Pasadena City College, Tougaloo College, and the University of Indianapolis.
Renowned photojournalist Allison Shelley traveled to each campus to capture authentic students and scenes during multi-day photo shoots. The resulting collection showcases students in real college and workforce settings, emphasizing the complex realities of balancing education with jobs, family responsibilities, and other life commitments.
"Colleges and universities today are shaped by the unique experiences, backgrounds and identities of our diverse student bodies -- it's what strengthens and binds our community together," said Dr. Eric M. Friedman, President at Bergen Community College. "Serving as one of the flagship colleges in the Complete College America Photo Library not only speaks to the tapestry of cultures at Bergen Community College, but how those many identities enrich our institution."
The photo library is designed to serve multiple stakeholders in higher education, including journalists, institutions, policymakers, funders, and advocates. By making these images freely available, Complete College America hopes to encourage more accurate representation of today's college students in media coverage and institutional communications.
The initiative represents part of Complete College America's broader mission to raise postsecondary attainment in the United States by addressing systemic barriers and misconceptions about higher education access and completion.
