SJI Selects Four Colleges to Embark on Year-Long Academy to Improve Student Access to Vital Benefits and Resources

SJI’s Student-Centered Design team is thrilled to welcome four community colleges to its 2021-2022 Benefits for Success Career and Technical Education (CTE) Academy: Chemeketa Community College, Mt. San Antonio College, Pine Technical and Community College, and Truckee Meadows Community College.  

Colleges were selected through a competitive process, during which they each demonstrated a strong commitment to student well-being, student-centered practices, and meeting Career and Technical Education (CTE) student needs. In the Academy, they will focus on maximizing CTE student access to and use of a range of benefits and resources, including financial supports, SNAP Employment and Training, and academic planning tools.

Sponsored by ECMC Foundation, the Academy will take colleges through a one-year, hands-on learning and design process. They will hear and learn from students, understand how students currently connect with resources, and design and test solutions to make connecting to resources easier and more beneficial for students. Along the way, they will develop new strategies to support student retention and completion as well as resilient practices to support student success.   

We are looking forward to an exciting year with our new college partners! Learn more about them from the descriptions they have provided, below. 

Chemeketa Community College

Chemeketa Community College, located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, is a proud Hispanic-Serving Institution that aspires to be an inclusive environment where we honor and value the unique contributions of our diverse students, employees, and community. Serving approximately 10,000 students each year via our two campuses, two full-service outreach centers and multiple specialized training centers, we seek to foster cultural competence and pursue equitable solutions that support all students in achieving their educational goals. 

Mt. San Antonio College

Mount San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) is located in Walnut, California, on the eastern edge of the Greater Los Angeles Area. The mission of Mt. SAC is to support and empower all students in achieving their educational goals in an environment of academic excellence, and we proudly serve more than 50,000 students from all walks of life. Mt. SAC offers 240+ degrees and certificates, high-impact transfer programs, 200+ professional development and community courses, bachelor’s degrees designed for Mt. SAC students, and state-of-the-art technology, equipment, lab facilities, and classrooms. We provide extensive student services and supports to help our students persist and succeed. 

Pine Technical and Community College logo

Pine Technical and Community College

Pine Technical and Community College (PTCC) is a technical and comprehensive community college that proudly serves the education and training needs of East Central Minnesota. As a small two-year college located in rural Minnesota, we serve approximately 925 students each year. The college was founded in 1965 and is a member of Minnesota State, Minnesota’s largest provider of higher education, comprised of 30 colleges, 7 universities and 54 campuses that collectively serve over 340,000 students per year. Known for innovation and contributions to strengthen communities, PTCC makes college possible for those starting out or starting over.

Truckee Meadows Community College logo

Truckee Meadows Community College

Founded in 1971, Truckee Meadows Community College’s (TMCC) mission is to promote student success, academic excellence, and access to lifelong learning by supporting high-quality education and services within the Washoe County and the Reno/Sparks community. TMCC prepares students for completion of Bachelor and Associate degrees and technical and career skills certifications. During the fall 2019 semester, TMCC served 11,637 students enrolled in credit bearing courses; of these 28% were enrolled full time; 72% were enrolled part-time. The TMCC student body was made up of 51% first generation students; 46% minorities; 45% low-income; and the average student age was 24.5. (TMCC – Facts Guide – Fall 2019 – Institutional Research, Analysis and Effectiveness Office).