The Assistance Offered at MHCC Outweigh the Drawbacks

Image sourced from LinkedIn.com

For many of us, the thought of going to college and getting a degree is nothing more than a fantasy. Time-consuming and expensive, colleges are largely inaccessible to those struggling with poverty, with children, or who work full-time. Personally, I had never thought I’d be able to afford higher education until I learned about MHCC.

Affordable tuition and classes are only a part of what makes Mt. Hood so important. Our school also offers numerous resources to its students, most of which are free. Barney’s Pantry, for example, offers free snacks every Monday-Friday in the Student Union. As someone who can’t always afford breakfast, being able to grab some snacks before my morning classes has positively impacted my learning. On the two occasions that I applied for a food box donation, I was treated with empathy and kindness. 

The Head Start program offers “child development and family support services” for eligible low-income families, giving parents in our community reliable childcare. The Library boasts a huge selection of books, multiple computers, a few printers, and access to free tutoring. I got through Algebra by spending all semester in the Library. 

Another extremely important and underutilized resource at Mt. Hood is the Student Services hub. 

Not only can its staff help you with signing up for FAFSA or navigating the MHCC website, but they also offer support to students in need of financial assistance. I personally was able to apply for and receive a pre-loaded HOP card (for TriMet) to make getting to and from school easier, since I rely on public transportation.

Seriously boosted by the assistance I have received at MHCC, I’ve been able to complete a year of my degree. This help has empowered me to work hard, something that most other colleges simply don’t do for their students. I am grateful that Mt. Hood has these resources readily available to those individuals who need them.