HCC offers new progam for adult college students

Date: 1/11/2011

Jan. 12, 2011

By Lori Szepelak

Correspondent

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) is collaborating with the Community Education Project to offer an innovative free course to help adult learners prepare for college.

The Adult Basic Education Transition to College & Careers program is an intensive college preparation class, led by instructor Aimee Loiselle. Elia Dreyfuss serves as coordinator and counselor for the program. The Community Education Project is a city adult literacy program based in the Latino community.

Dreyfuss noted in an interview with Reminder Publications that the course offers a supportive community learning environment, while providing math, reading, writing, study strategies, and computer instruction to those interested in completing a college certificate or degree.

"If you have a GED (from any time) or graduated from high school five years ago or more, we invite you to apply for this program," Dreyfuss said.

The program's primary target populations are people who feel academically or otherwise unprepared for college, first-generation college students, low-income people from all backgrounds, Puerto Ricans and other Latino communities, immigrants from all countries, high-level English Language Learners, people in the workplace who need to go to the college to advance their careers, and individuals who are at least 18, and have earned a high school diploma more than five years ago, or have a GED, according to Dreyfuss.

More than 12 hours a week will be offered Jan. 31 through May 13, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at HCC beginning at 9:15 a.m., while evening classes will be offered Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Picknelly Adult and Family Education Center in downtown Holyoke.

In addition to the intensive educational component, students will also receive help with financial aid and admission applications, access to HCC resources, and counseling in English or Spanish. Additionally, extensive mentor/tutor hours outside of class time will be available.

"We can also help students identify career paths in industries that pay fair salaries," Dreyfuss said, adding the program will help adult learners prepare to enter and succeed in college.

For more information on the program, contact Dreyfuss at 552-2852 or via e-mail to edreyfuss@hcc.edu. The deadline to register for the evening class is Jan. 18 and the deadline for the day class is Jan. 24.