This article appears for archival purposes. Any events, programs and/or initiatives mentioned may no longer be applicable.
Scottsdale Community College (SCC) Interim President Chris Haines hosted a ceremony Jan. 9, 2020 to recognize and celebrate 115 former students who are returning to college thanks to funding from the Complete Your Dreams initiative.
SCC’s Complete Your Dreams initiative provides students with one three-credit-hour course free of charge, applicable toward the Spring 2020 academic semester. The initiative was designed to get students back onto the path of their chosen degree program at SCC.
Funding for the initiative was provided by the SCC campus faculty and staff, Advisory Board, and community partners during a September 2019 drive for this initiative. In addition, the Scottsdale Industrial Development Authority (SIDA) provided a $12,500 grant for this effort.
The grant allows students to return to college after having to temporarily withdraw from enrollment due to hardship. Haines said, “We wanted to bring back 100 students, and we were able to bring back 115! We know students experience hard times and we did this to show them and say to them, ‘No matter what you are experiencing, we want to help you.’ Those on this campus and in the community really do care; people were actually bringing in hands full of coins to help these students.”
The SCC Student Success & Retention Department reached out to former students to inform them of the opportunity. Drew Koch, SCC student services specialist said, “We looked at the data of students who did not enroll for one semester or longer, were in good standing, and had not enrolled in any other college.”
Tawni Rachel, student services supervisor, said, “Every single student was super grateful and could not believe that we wanted to give them money with no strings attached. I had to get through a barrier with them to show them that this was really going to happen. Overall it is about gratitude, with the SCC community, faculty and staff coming together to help these students and the gratitude the students have for receiving this gift.”
Attendees heard stories from student recipients. Rachel said, “It was amazing to listen to the the students. Some stopped attending simply because they did not know exactly what they wanted to do or had unexpected life issues occur. We are all human and individuals with a story. I believe this relationship with our students and community will grow, it is a story that will continue.”
SCC offers extensive student support services, including advising and assistance with applying for financial aid. For more information on this initiative or SCC, including how to apply and the complete terms and conditions for educational awards, please visit www. scottsdalecc.edu or contact the Student Success and Retention Department at (480) 423-6430.
For those who wish to donate, please visit https://scc-maricopa.nbsstore.net/sccbacktoschool.
About Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale Community College (SCC) is student centered with a focus on active, engaged and intellectually rigorous learning. The College is known for high quality, accessible educational opportunities and innovative teaching, learning and support services. SCC serves about 10,000 students a year, offering more than 100 degrees and 60 certificates of completion in diverse occupational areas. At only $85 per credit hour, SCC is one of the most affordable colleges in Maricopa County, and the average class size is only 16 students. Through a partnership with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, SCC is honored to be the only two-year public higher education institution located on Native American land. For more information, call (480) 423-6700.
Scottsdale Community College is one of the 10 colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District, one of the largest community college districts in the nation. SCC offers academic courses leading to associate degrees, university transfer, certificates and short-term job training.
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