Contact Us

SUCCESS at Bunker Hill Community College

Program Contact Information

Website:

Community Connect Webpage

Email:

CommunityConnect@bhcc.edu

Telephone:

(617) 228-3437

Community Connect

About the Program:

Community Connect is a student empowerment program funded by the Massachusetts SUCCESS Fund. This student success initiative specializes in serving BHCC students from top sending neighborhoods served by BHCC but is open to any interested student. The program utilizes capacity-building strategies proven to facilitate college success: being community-connected, student-centered, asset-based, data-driven, and outcomes-focused in services and programming. Community Connect holds several principles as its core values: thriving, uplifting, belonging, mentoring, assessing, and navigating. The program is designed to increase student persistence/retention, academic success, and completion. All services are informed by student voice and community context. The program emphasizes eliminating barriers and uplifting student strengths.

Students are encouraged to join Community Connect through targeted outreach that follows an opt-out approach. Students may reach out directly for more information and SUCCESS students are automatically enrolled unless they request not to join. All SUCCESS students at BHCC receive program services until they earn their certificate or degree. By design, students are aware that they are receiving services through SUCCESS. A multitude of other units support Community Connect at BHCC as a result of the program’s collaborative approach across the college.

Student Eligibility

Students who are eligible for the SUCCESS program at BHCC include:

  • First-time Students
  • Continuing Students
  • Part-time Students
  • Full-time Students
  • English language learners
  • Students with developmental needs in English and mathematics

Cohort Focus Population

In line with the legislative intent to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable student populations, the use of SUCCESS services at BHCC among the following populations is actively tracked and encouraged (with an emphasis on students with 24 or fewer cumulative credits within these groups):

  • Economically disadvantaged students
  • First-generation college students
  • Minoritized students (i.e., Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American, Cape Verdean, Indigenous, and multi-racial students)
  • Students with disabilities
  • LGBTQIA+ students

Support Services

The following supports are available to Connect Scholars at BHCC:

Coaching

Academic Advising

Career Advising

Transfer Advising

Scholarship Advising

Case Management

Community Events

Publications

Discussion Groups

Mentoring

Tutoring/Study Groups

Affinity Groups

Counseling

Field Trips to 4yr Schools

Summer Programs

Workshops

Student Planning

Cohort-Based Learning

Support Network

Community Connect is supported by 12 full-time staff, 5 part-time staff, and 12 student leaders. Welcome month activities, Dominoes and Dialogue student dinners, and Registration Brunches are highlights of Community Connect’s retention efforts.

SUCCESS receives funding through the Massachusetts legislature and is supported by the 15 state community colleges, the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges (MACC), the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE), and the SUCCESS Leadership and Coordinating Committees.