SFCC is a diverse campus with multiple demographics of students and programs to offer those students. Although each one only knows their own and possibly a friend or twos path through the campus, the possibilities on cam- pus are endless.
One example of the possibilities is the difference between a student taking classes at SFCC and working toward their associate’s degree, and a student taking classes at SFCC and working toward a certification, like plumbing, electrical or mechanical work.
There are students who join the running start program, starting classes in their junior or senior years. Depending on a Running Start student’s start time, they will either graduate with their associate’s degree and high school diploma, or graduate with their diploma and just a year left to finish their degree.
Another program that supports students is Head Start. It specifically supports students who are parents. An example of this is SFCC’s child care center. Head Start works hand in hand with student parents to get them and their infants, toddlers and preschoolers access
to the Early Childhood Education program, “which offers education- al services, health and nutritional services to CCS families and their children,” said Stephanie Minch, the Center Manager at SCC’s Head Start. Minch also mentioned the program has difficulty difficulty reaching students parents and she often hears individuals are surprised about its existence. For more information, especially if you are a student parent, contact Stephanie Minch at (509) 533-3623.
Another type of student SFCC represents is student veterans. According to Lane Anderson, the associate director of the Veterans Resource Center here at SFCC in the basement of the library, his office “provide(s) services to GI Bill assistance funding, and assistance to all veteran students.” Not all veteran students at SFCC are using their GI bill assistant funding, however. Anderson explained some veteran students choose to save that particular funding for once they transfer to a four-year school.
In 2018, SFCC had 5,589 students enrolled. Of that number, there are “about 250 students that use VA education assistance in general,” Anderson said.
The Veterans Resource Office benefits veterans on campus, and how they access their benefits.
“That would encompass all of the different types of benefits from Departments of Veterans Affairs. There’s four or five different benefit types that are out there. We also have eligibility for spouses and children to claim benefits also,” Anderson said.
The Veterans Resource Office helps active duty students contin- ue their education through SFCC while stationed near the school, a majority of which are stationed at Fairchild Airforce Base.
“We also do federal tuition assistance, which is for active duty personnel that are currently sta- tioned here,” Anderson said. “That number varies anywhere from 10 to 15 up to 30 just depending on the quarter. And that is just a differ- ent type of funding source that we have. We do have a base education
office, so we actually do have an office out at Fairchild that we man a couple days a week to assist the active duty folks that are out there or their dependents and children.”
Anderson also said student veteran’s classes depend on their program.
“Most active duty personnel do take online classes because it fits with their schedule better, but some do campus classes,” he said. “It just really kind of depends on what their program is.”
When Anderson was asked if student veterans leaned toward a type of degree, he said that most go for the associate’s degrees like many students do, as compared to certification programs. “Most of our students are working on what the Air Force calls the Community College degree,” Anderson said. “So it is basically a degree on the Air Force side. If you want to think about it, it’s like the equivalent of what an AA degree is, but it’s from the Air Force. Most of our students are in that plan. So what they do is they take classes here, transfer them back to community colleges of the Air Force for their degree there.”
He added that a smaller population of students aren’t pursuing their CCA degree, but are doing a
regular degree that SFCC would offer here, and “that is still transfer- able, whereas the one through the Air Force isn’t as generally transfer- able.”
If you want to do something to support our student veterans, please contact the Armed Forces Veterans Association, which is a student-led club recognized by the Associated Student Body. Club adviser Brittany Weaver can be reached at (509) 533-3767.
Every student on campus
is different from the last, as for groups missed in this piece, there are those who contribute to ASG, those of numerous faiths, and different ethnic backgrounds.