Wells Fargo has given the CT State Colleges & University (CCSU) Foundation a $75,000 grant to benefit schools in the Shoreline West section of the state’s newly unified community colleges. The grant is specifically for supporting equity-based programs and services at Gateway, Norwalk, and Housatonic Community Colleges.
These programs are all aimed at improving educational outcomes among students who are facing material hardships. Each addresses a different group of students but have a record of success in improving student outcomes which has helped establish them as worthwhile.
Gateway Community College in New Haven offers the Equity in Education Fund focused on providing students with the resources and support they need at the start of their academic career to ensure long term success. Norwalk Community College’s UPLIFT program is focused on narrowing the equity gap for men of color.
Housatonic Community College of Bridgeport’s Family Economic Security Program (FESP) is centered on providing women caring for dependents with aid in completing their studies while taking care of others. Casey Cruz, a Housatonic student in the program called it vital for enabling her return to school.
“Without the program I’d definitely be struggling,” Cruz said. “I would probably be a lot more stressed out than I am.”
Cruz grew up in New York City, the second eldest of four daughters. They were raised by her father, who still works for the MTA, and her visually impaired mother. At 18 she was enrolled at CUNY Hunter but opted to start her career right away. She worked at Delta Airlines for 10 years but lost her job at the start of the pandemic. She moved to Bridgeport with her husband so their son could attend better schools once he reached kindergarten age, but those plans were also thrown into disarray by the pandemic.
“As a parent you’re always putting you kid first, asking are you doing enough for you kid?” She explained that that was just the first in a series of questions that used to haunt her. “There’s always an insecurity as a parent. “Am I going to be able to keep the roof over their head? Am I going to have to get them to school? And am I going to be able to feed them?”
While Cruz counts herself fortunate to have not needed immediate answers to those questions, partnering with an FESP coach and meeting other students in the program helped her realize not only were there other people she could ask, but that there was a good chance they would be able to help her find solutions that would keep her education moving forward.
Dr. Thomas Coley, Regional President for CTSCU’s Shoreline West Region indicated that students like Cruz illustrate why equity based programs are so important.
“What we find is that it doesn’t take much to discourage continuing education or pursuing a credential, particularly with the pandemic because so many of our students are front line workers,” Coley said. “They’re providing childcare, but they still need to work. The FESP program not only gives them the resources but also a coaching component and provides social support so that they’re not in it alone. We want to give them everything they need to be successful.”
Wells Fargo Vice President and Community Relations Consultant Terence Floyd that supporting equity based programs in community colleges a “no-brainer” particularly at this point in time.
“Life is tough in general,” he explained. “Now you throw a worldwide pandemic on top of everything while we’re asking these young adults who have a variety of challenges to go out there and better themselves.”
Floyd believes that the value of not only strengthening Wells Fargo’s ties with the community but strengthening the community itself by working with organizations which have a proven track record of improving student outcomes is an ideal use of the Wells Fargo Foundation’s funds.
