Photo: Jared Brosnan/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) —Roxbury Community College is celebrating the opening of RCC Connect, a new student support center which aims to help students with a multitude of aspects on and off campus.
The space is open to all students in need of help with enrollment, financial aid, academic planning and more.
“RCC Connect is exciting for us because it provides us the opportunity to allow our students to come to one spot to get all of their questions answered,” said RCC President Dr. Jonathan Jefferson.
A ribbon cutting ceremony took place at the center with President Dr. Jefferson doing the honors of cutting the ribbon.
The opening ceremony included activities such as a speaking program and panel discussion with RCC leadership and students.
The event also included free food, raffles and even massages.
The support center is located in the center building on campus and brings everything students need into one area.
“Prior to RCC Connect opening, students had to go to multiple buildings and multiple floors, and we have now put everything in one spot,” said Dr. Jefferson.
Theater student Alicia Wright explained what she’s going to use the center for, “Understanding my financial aid package and what’s going on with my grants and understanding what it means to have a balance, like what do I do, what’s the next steps.”
The center is fully staffed and ready to help, which is something that students say they appreciate.
“Everyone in there looks at me with a ‘How can I help?’,” said Wright. “No matter what, how difficult my question may be, how difficult the situation, I’m going to get help, I’m going to be supported,” she continued.
A major factor for the creation of the center is student retention, which the college says is a major priority for them.
It points to studies that show more than 40% of community college students don’t return for a second year, which they hope to change with the new center now being available for students.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Jay Willett (@JayWillettWBZ) reports.