It has been five months since Trio SSS was shut down and removed from Eastfield. The new wave of students coming into Eastfield will never know the impact Trio SSS had on the students of Dallas College. It seems Trio SSS is just a memory now lying with the many students the program helped.
The next time TRIO SSS can apply for federal funding will be in five years because they are competitive grants rather than permanent entitlements. This is mandated by federal regulations and the Higher Education Act.
There are other programs and services Eastfield offers that help students. Programs located in the C building are the Empowerment Network and Hand in Hand. The Empowerment Network is led by Cheyenne Spivey-Brown, who offers help with students’ personal development and individuality, as well as academic support. The Hand-in-Hand program offers help to students who have experienced foster care. It is led by Carol Castillo, who wants students to know that “we are here to support students in any way we can.”
Located in the B building is the STEM center led by Fabiola Resendiz. who oversees two programs under the STEM Institute at Dallas College. One of them being the STEM League, which is the institutionalized student engagement and networking program for students at Dallas College. The STEM Leadership Academy provides leadership and communication training for those students who are seeking higher skills. The STEM Institute offers a miniterm program, which is a 10-week internship program where students can work on a project with one of five different partnerships, including UT Southwestern, Jacob’s Engineering and Hunt Consolidated. Other programs within the STEM Institute include the Texas A&M Engineering Academy with Dallas College and the undergraduate research department at Dallas College. Fabiola Resendiz wants students to know that “we’re trying to provide a welcoming community to all, not just STEM majors.”
Other programs and services located in the B building include Career and Transfer Skills Development, where students can receive support and skills needed to land a high-paying job. The support includes interview training, resume writing and even professional clothes so students can look their best. The Office of Intercultural and Global Student Engagement celebrates Eastfield’s diverse student body; it also organizes events and provides special advising and registration help for international students. Accessibility Services arrange accommodation for students with disabilities to ensure equal access to college services and equal opportunity in the classroom. Military-connected Services provide specialized services, advising and counseling for student veterans, active-duty students and military family members.
The Student Care Network serves as the umbrella program that covers support and resources and serves as a gateway to connect to students with the tools they need to succeed, such as the CARE Team (Campus Assessment Response and Evaluation), which accepts referrals regarding individuals in distress, struggling with basic needs, experiencing an unexpected crisis or whose behavior raises concerns about their well-being. The Student Care Network also covers counseling and psychological services that offer counselors who are licensed professionals and are available to all enrolled students to help them succeed in and out of the classroom. A food pantry and health services are also available to every student at Eastfield in the B building. The pantry offers food and clothes to every student and health services providing health and wellness care through a staff of registered nurses to meet the needs of college students, employees and the community it serves.
Eastfield also provides services like Lifelong Learners, a specialized program for free learning opportunities for the community geared more towards senior adults, but the program accepts participants of all ages. SkillsUSA, another specialized program, is a national nonprofit organization, offering scholarships, competitions and more to students interested in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. There are several other programs and services available at Eastfield, many of which depend on student engagement to stay active. Eastfield students should make sure to take advantage of these free services.
