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One of MCAN’s strongest program areas utilized to reach the mission of building more college pathways in Minnesota is providing technical expertise on college access resource center development. What is a college resource center you might ask?

These centers are found in various models all around the country. From Massachusetts to California, community leaders recognize that a strong partnership with K-12 and Higher Education includes providing communities with college information unique to their needs and relationship to education. MCAN is excited that we are involved with three pilot projects working on building centers. These pilot sites are in-line with our “College Access Matters” report from 2006 which outlined key areas in the state in which centers such as these can make the most impact in college-going rates.

Neighborhood House on the Westside of St. Paul has an amazing tradition of providing a multicultural, immigrant community ELL services, after-school tutoring, family programming, early childhood and a wealth of other program areas. College access is the “next level” for Neighborhood House. In 2007, MCAN and other key partners began a process of planning a college resource center to address the needs of youth and immigrant adults who are seeking college opportunity, but need more in-depth college advising to meet their goals. This center will work closely with local colleges and universities and St. Paul Public Schools to enhance—not compete—with the community’s offering of college services. The plan is to open this center in the fall of 2008 and effectively increase the college-going rates for youth of the Neighborhood House community by 2009.

The other two sites include preliminary conversations with the Willmar community and St. Cloud State University with St. Cloud Public Schools. For more information about these projects, please contact our offices at 651-645-7400 x203.