By Jamil Oakford/ editor-in-chief
Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times/TNS
After ITT Technical Institute announced it would close all of its campuses, including one in Arlington, TCC decided to help students who would be displaced.
TCC’s response was to hold an education fair, open to both ITT students and faculty. At this event, TCC hopes to ease some of the worry about their ability to transfer to another college.
The education fair for former ITT students and teachers will be held 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sept. 21 in the Fusion Auditorium Center for Excellence in Energy Technology on South Campus.
The school said it would work to help provide a haven for ITT students who still want to pursue a degree.
“Like many people, I first heard about the ITT closure while listening to the news report from CNN on my car radio,” student success associate vice chancellor Jade Borne said. “A young man was telling a heartbreaking story of not being able to finish his last set of courses toward earning a nursing degree.”
It is estimated that more than 500 students will be displaced due to the ITT campus closure in Arlington.
This prompted Borne to think of ways TCC could assist those like the former ITT student.
“When I got into the office on that day, I already had emails waiting for me from several local area higher education resources about this issue,” he said.
“We will be cooperating with our sister colleges, such as Dallas Community College and Collin County College on our efforts to reach out to former ITT students and support them through this very stressful time.”
ITT students can have their transcripts reviewed and receive academic advising while attending the education fair.
Former students will have “case managers” to help them transition to the other campuses.
“These case managers will make sure these students don’t fall through the cracks along the pathways to becoming a student,” Borne said.
Chancellor Eugene Giovannini said that TCC can have the opportunity to help.
“Our job is to help these students transfer into our programs as seamlessly as possible,” he said in a TCC press release Sept. 8.
Giovannini also explained that as a college, the main focus should always be on student retention and success.
