By J.T. Buchheit
News Editor
jbuchhei@jccc.edu
The Student Success and Engagement department oversees many departments here at the college. Listed are some important departments that the college offers to students. These departments are helpful to students, and may be helpful to you as the semester begins next week.
Hiersteiner Child Development Center
The Hiersteiner Child Development Center, or HCDC, is a building on campus for children aged one through six of students, employees or anyone in the community. It provides childcare services for the children of parents at work or school, offering early education and preschool services in the morning and afternoon. The classes are small, with a teacher/child ratio of 1:10.
International and Immigrant Services
The International and Immigrant Services program is located in COM 306. It helps these students, staff and community members with issues relating to visas, passports and other things relating to one’s immigration status, as well as adjusting to culture within the U.S. and the community. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the rest of the school week.
Military veterans on campus can use this service, located in COM 305, in order to ask questions and access community resources, services and educational benefits. This area possesses its own student lounge with amenities such as a refrigerator, microwaves and a 55-inch television.
“This office serves a student population that needs additional assistance making the transition from military service to the college environment,” said Veteran Services Coordinator Kena Zumalt. “Probably one of the biggest things [to help students adapt to college] is the peer-to-peer relationship that we’re able to offer, especially with the lounge as a part of our services office. Whenever you’re a military member, the camaraderie is a big component, so when you get plunked down at a school, you can feel isolated.”
The Student Lounge is an area located in COM 322 where students can relax and unwind playing video games, table tennis, foosball and an assortment of board games and card games. It also hosts tournaments to win prizes, as well as parties such as the Cosplay Halloween Contest and the Spring Luau.
“The lounge is a place students can hang out and make friends and play video games,” said Student Life Coordinator Leila Jacobs. “It’s basically a place where students can stay on campus instead of going home. [The lounge] usually has 40 or 50 people every day, but when we have parties, we get a lot more.”
For more information regarding the Student Success and Engagement Department, contact Randy Weber, Vice President of Student Success and Engagement at RandyWeber@jccc.edu
Managing Editor Cade Webb contributed to this report.