The University recently announced the new Center for College Student Success (CCSS) as one of several initiatives to support low-income and first-generation students. The Center, which currently runs the Chicago Academic Achievement Program (CAAP) for entering first-year students, serves as an advising and college transition support center, especially for traditionally underprivileged students.
Operating under the Dean of Students in the College, CCSS is distinct from Student Support Services (SSS), a new branch of the Center for Identity + Inclusion. Though both will serve lower-income and first-generation students, CCSS will specifically support students in the College, while SSS will serve as a resource for University students as a whole.
Students can access links to information about emergency financial resources offered by the College through CCSS’s website. The Center also has a staff of CCSS advisers who will work with students and provide specialized programming, according to Devon Moore, the Center’s director. “They are holistic advisers who aim to help students navigate the College and can also provide insight to students experiencing financial difficulties,” Moore wrote in a statement to The Maroon.
In addition, CCSS is piloting a mentorship program for first-generation college students. Through the mentorship program, college students will be matched with young alumni in the Chicago area who were first-generation college students themselves. CCSS hopes that this mentorship program will provide a way for mentees to expand their networks. Similarly, CCSS will also host “First-Generation Facul-Teas” to connect students with faculty members from all divisions who were the first in their families to attend college. “The Center is working on offering other programs throughout the year, including workshops on navigating University resources, and is working closely with students and campus partners to identify and develop other resources and support,” wrote Mary Abowd, news officer for Campus and Student Life, in an e-mail to The Maroon.
