Tulsa Community College (TCC) held a dedication in July of the new A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Student Success Center at the TCC Metro Campus, made possible by a $2.1 million gift from the A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Foundation.
The new facility represents TCC’s effort to remove barriers for students and to increase graduation rates.
The center is the third student success center to open at the college since 2019.
“In developing the student success centers, we recognized the need to help individuals navigate the college experience through increased student services in a way that is not confusing or intimidating,” TCC President Leigh Goodson said in a release.
The new center has a clearly identified starting point and check-in area, and students are greeted by staff instead of rows of counters and offices for multiple departments, the college says. The center includes space for academic advising, career services, engagement and retention, new student orientation and transfer student services.
Arizona
A $40,000 grant to Mesa Community College (MCC) will support students participating in the First Year Experience (FYE) program. TruWest Credit Union awarded the grant.
FYE is a year-long program that provides services and support needed to transition to college. The grant covers tuition and fees for about 50 students and funds student leadership opportunities through stipends for FYE ambassadors.
In addition, TruWest professionals will provide financial literacy workshops for the students and their parents, as well as other in-kind services.
Massachusetts
MassBay Community College can better support students who are single mothers thanks to a $71,000 donation from the Metrowest Women’s Fund. The funding will help these students with non-tuition-related emergencies, such as childcare expenses and housing costs.
This is the second consecutive year the Metrowest Women’s Fund has supported single mother students at MassBay.
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Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) has received a $1.6 million Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) grant from the U.S. Education Department. The grant aims to prepare high school students for postsecondary education that leads to careers in the fields of math and science.
With the funding, MWCC will provide programs and customized supports to 63 high school students. During the academic year, UBMS students receive support and guidance in developing a comprehensive individual success plan and have access to services, such as tutoring and advising, and opportunities to participate in field trips.
In the summer, students will complete four courses in math, science, foreign language and literature/composition during a six-week residential academy hosted on a college campus. Graduating UBMS seniors will participate in college survival workshops and will be encouraged to enroll in college-level courses.
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Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) has received a $160,000 grant to continue its food service worker training program for previously incarcerated individuals. The Re-Entry Workforce Development Demonstration Program provides industry-supported curriculum in culinary training for post-release students, as well as assistance with career readiness and job placement.
The culinary certificates are part of QCC’s non-credit offerings; however, they can also be used to receive college credit. One student received her certificate in June and will start at QCC this fall with nine credits towards her associate degree in hospitality and recreation management.
“There is a stigma as a formerly incarcerated individual, but coming in with this certificate helps a lot,” she said, adding that she is already working in food service and eventually wants to open her own restaurant.
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development provided the grant.
Minnesota
Riverland Community College has secured a $348,486 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program. The funding will support the “Educating Autonomous Vehicle Technicians” project that its automotive service technology program will launch.
Riverland will partner with Minnesota State and a local automotive shop to develop curriculum, purchase equipment, participate in professional development and provide continuing education for the project.
New Jersey
Union College will use a $220,000 grant from Bank of America to elevate and accelerate the path for Hispanic students in targeted healthcare programs.
The two-year grant will support Hispanic-Latino students pursuing careers in healthcare through its Progresando Initiative. The program was created to help Hispanic-Latinos achieve upward economic mobility through careers in healthcare, while also helping to increase representation and address the shortage of culturally sensitive, Spanish-speaking health providers.
