Grossmont College is hosting a virtual open house for their Adult Reentry Program on July 7 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. in preparation for the fall 2021 semester starting Aug. 16.
Practical information such as course registration assistance, financial aid and scholarship opportunities, and career and majors will all be covered, as well as other common questions about returning to school.
Grossmont College Career Center supervisor Renee Nasori said student services staff members want to inform and prepare students, but also learn about student needs so they can better support them.
“Our goal is to ensure students’ basic needs are met first— for some it might be some mental health needs, others have food insecurities. We have resources through the community we can refer them to and we really hash that out so students feel comfortable and prepared,” Nasori said.
Although office staff has been working remotely since the start of the pandemic, Nasori said they maintain a virtual front desk and have career ambassadors, student workers on hand to answer questions and help guide new students.
“Folks come to us for all sorts of reasons, thinking we can help with job placement, our workshops, advising appointments. We have students who are coming in undecided, some who went to work right out of high school and life got in the way of going back to school, some who got laid off, some who have been caring for children, nontraditional students coming back in their mid 20s, 30s, 40s and sometimes 50s,” Nasori said.
One thing she said staff noticed is that many students come in with a lack of soft or transferable skills like time management or customer service experience.
“We hear about those needs from our own faculty but also from employers so we have an entire series on 21st century skills. If students have not worked in awhile, those are key skills employers are looking for that will set them apart from other applicants,” Nasori said.
The pandemic, she said, posed many challenges and she suspects there will be an influx of students this year who are seeking a new path in life. The office professional and business programs are usually a strong draw, along with child development and hospitality programs.
“Retail and culinary are really big for adult reentry students. There is a huge demand and lots of prospects for them. We work closely with the community and workforce partnerships, we have an internship program- it’s not just ‘complete your program then you’re on your own.’ There’s one-on-one advising so students feel prepared,” Nasori said.
Every semester, she said, she takes the time to create something innovative, born out of real student interests and questions. For example, she said, if students want to learn more about a specific industry then “I’ll do everything in my power to invite them to the table” and meet with someone working in their field of interest.
Currently, Student Services is offering virtual meetings with each student to talk about any special needs they might have, ostensibly to address potential barriers to completion before students get started with classes, many of which are offered online to fit the schedule of working adults.
“We’ve always had online courses but we’ve really stepped it up. English as a second language especially, you need to jump on Zoom and interact so students get out of their comfort zone,” Nasori said.
Personally, she said, she is a Grossmont College graduate who went on to San Diego State University and she wishes she took advantage of all the free services that are available to students.
“You don’t have to be alone through this process. I see students from time to time who have not met with a counselor, are on their own trying to figure it out. Think of us as your support system,” Nasori said.
More information is available at www.grossmont.edu and questions can be directed to g-career.counter@gccd.edu or by calling (619) 644-7614.
