Raleigh College Center Will Benefit Young People and Families

RALEIGH, N.C. (February 1, 2012) - Wake Tech is teaming up with local colleges and universities to help young people get the information they need about college - finding the right one, getting in, managing studies, and handling costs. The Raleigh College Center, sponsored by Wake Tech and partners in the Raleigh Colleges and Community Collaborative, is located in the Chavis Community Center on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. The center offers information sessions, provided by the partner institutions, on college life and financial aid to guide students and their families. Brochures and other resource materials are also available.

“We want to help students realize the dream of going to college, says Dr. Stephen Scott, president of Wake Tech, “and we want them to succeed when they get there! We want students to graduate with a degree or certificate that allows them to find employment and earn a living wage.” Dr. Scott says the Raleigh College Center will offer the resources and support students need for college success.

The Raleigh Colleges and Community Collaborative recently won a $1.3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help low-income young people in Raleigh complete their postsecondary education and get good jobs. Collaborative members include Meredith College, NC State University, St. Augustine’s College, Shaw University, and William Peace University as well as the City of Raleigh, the Wake County Public School System, Wake County Human Services, businesses, faith-based organizations, nonprofits, teens and college students.

The Raleigh College Center is one aspect of the Collaborative’s larger initiative, known as the Raleigh Promise, which also includes:
• Raleigh Future Scholars, providing high school students with academic coaching, workplace internships, SAT preparation, financial literacy and help with the transition to college; and
• Raleigh Fellows, supporting college students through orientation, mentoring, internships and job search services.

The Collaborative plans to open additional College Centers this year at other convenient locations in Raleigh, including a computer lab where students can receive assistance as they fill out applications for college admission and financial aid.

Posted February 2nd, 2012 by Michelle Fauver. Announcements