FULTON, Miss. (WTVA) - At the Itawamba Community College Student Success Centers, students gather daily for any number of reasons.
They may need help with math or reading.
They may need help with time management.
Whatever the reason, the staff's mission is for these college students to succeed.
Director Bronson Prochaska said, "We have had great success because we are a welcoming environment. That is the first goal we have. When a student walks through our door, they feel comfortable and welcome. They know they'll find help here."
That help means a lot to the students, many of whom don't realize how different college work and life is from high school and home.
Freshman C.J. Jackson said, "They've taught me how to do my math work and how to research papers. It's just a great place to come."
Sophomore Taylor Thornton said, "College is a lot harder than high school and I think it's good you have people there to help you."
The Student Success Centers on both the ICC Fulton and Tupelo campuses opened in 2009.
That's when ICC made a recommitment to its students to make certain they don't drop out and they earn a degree.
Prochaska said, "Maybe they're in a two year program and go into the work force or graduate from ICC and transfer to a university to complete their bachelor's degree. We realize it's not just about getting them here. It's about helping them be successful and then graduate from ICC."
A relatively new concept, ICC was one of the first colleges in the state to open its Student Success Centers.
