Hello! My name is Tricia McKay and I am the Program Director for the Child Development and Early Education Associate Degree program at Lansing Community College in Michigan. When I think about the progress we have made in community college teacher preparation programs over the last 20 years, one of the first things that comes to mind, especially in early childhood education teacher preparation, is accreditation and meeting professional preparation standards. Achieving accreditation and aligning our teacher preparation programs with national standards has strengthened our credibility in higher ed. and increased the quality of education that we are providing for our students. Where do I hope to see us in the next 20 years? My biggest hope is that early childhood education as field is no longer viewed as a service industry with low wages, but is seen as the education profession that is truly is, in which early childhood educators are valued, respected, and well compensated.