MCC Partners with CRT to Open a Holistic Student Services Office

Manchester, Conn. (April 17, 2017) – Manchester Community College has signed an agreement with the Community Renewal Team (CRT) to help students obtain support for coping with issues that might otherwise impede the completion of coursework. Services are available by appointment to MCC students and their families through Aaron Goode, a CRT case manager, who is holding office hours on the MCC main campus every other Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Community Renewal Team (CRT) is the designated community action agency for Middlesex and Hartford counties and is one of the largest non-profit providers of human services in Connecticut. Their mission is to help people and families change their lives, and create their own opportunities, while becoming self-reliant and making sure basic needs are met.

Nancy Pappas, director of external affairs for CRT, is excited to have a partnership on campus. “We’re very pleased to be able to work with MCC to pilot this on-campus case-management initiative,” she said. “We’re going to treat students the way we treat all of our clients, by completing an in-depth assessment of strengths and needs, helping them to set personal or family goals, and then identifying the steps that are necessary to reach those goals.”

CRT’s role on campus will also include referral services for students and families who may be eligible for programs such as Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), supportive housing and shelters, oil and heating services, child care or other supports. Even if an individual is in need of a service that CRT does not offer, the case manager will refer a client to another agency that may cover the need.

“This partnership is a key component in a range of holistic services we envision providing to our students in order to improve retention and facilitate academic success,” according to Dr. G. Duncan Harris, dean of student affairs and enrollment management. “Partnering with CRT will allow us to provide our students with additional resources to meet life’s challenges that often prevent students from achieving in the classroom.”