On April 8, Mt. SAC hosted Major Day on Miracle Mile, drawing the attention of hundreds of students to discuss their future educational and career goals with counselors and professors ready to help guide them on the right path.
The main goal of the event was to encourage students who aren’t always interested in reaching out to their counselors for guidance to discover the benefits of doing so. Professor of counseling, Antoine Thomas, was excited to see the positive turnout and believes students realized the resources available to them. “There are way more services for students this time around when I first started working here,” Thomas said.
Thomas started his educational journey at Riverside Community College and explained that community college gave him a chance to mature and helped reveal to him what he wanted.
Thomas understands that choosing a major is a big commitment and some students remain undecided for a while at a community college. Though he attended a different school, Thomas saw the value of getting help which led him to transfer to get his bachelor degree.
Regardless if one knows what they want to study and what school to attend after Mt. SAC, Thomas believes that all students owe it to themselves to see a counselor as there are things that students just don’t know about a university that can later become an obstacle for them.
With various tools such as having online access to talk to a counselor throughout the year, Thomas’ wishes all students success and desires to see more of them reach out. His last words of encouragement for all students was, “Keep working hard and your goals are in sight.”
Booths were not just filled with counselors though.
Other booths had professors available to provide deeper dialogue with students concerning their major. “We’re just trying to create some interest in the English major,” English professor Jason Kordich said. “We’ve done this all year long, at least once a month, just trying to demystify the English major. And I’m hoping being here today can kind of continue that demystification.”
While counselors and professors offered their time to those in attendance, Mt SAC can still feel like a big place to get lost in.
College can seem overwhelming, not just for incoming young freshmen, but for anyone new to higher education. From picking a major, getting financial aid, learning about clubs or how to get tutoring, the event showed how community colleges are stepping up to provide numerous resources for their students’ success.
One element of student success is torturing which was made known to all at the event by the Academic Support and Achievement Center, or ASAC booth. “ASAC provides free multiple subject tutoring in both STEM and humanities courses with no appointment required,” ASAC Project Program Specialist Vanessa Tellez said. Accompanied by Jackie Caldera, another Project Program Specialist, the two wanted students to know that ASAC is willing to meet their academic needs with no pressure of a long term commitment to see a tutor.
Located in building 6-101, ASAC can provide students the tools and skills necessary to improve both their confidence and grades. When asked if there was any data to show the benefits of tutoring Tellez replied, “There was a study done by Mt. SAC and they found those students who attended tutoring regularly improved a whole letter grade.”
However, improved grades aren’t the only success stories ASAC can provide. According to Caldera, students majoring in teaching who become tutors, have later become professors here at the school showing that helping others does benefit you in the end.
Another resource Mt. SAC offers students is the opportunity to network and find community through the campuses various clubs. Mark Josephson agrees. A Project Expert from African American Male Education Network Development, Josephson believes getting out of your comfort zone and away from the “doom-scrolling” is something a club can help you with.
Major Day is an annual occurrence and allows students to speak with a multitude of professionals prior to the beginning of summer semester. Whether students spoke to counselors, professors or representatives from various organizations, Major Day was to let students know that attending college does not have to be a lonely nor impossible experience to face.
