Howard Community College

PROFILES 18 Howard Community College Susan and Bill Schneider After owning an information technology training company for 26 years, Susan and Bill Schneider wanted to focus their energies on giving back to their community. They started by infusing charitable giving into the company ethos—offering discounted tuition in exchange for service hours, organizing service days for employees, and committing 10 percent of profits to charity. Still, they wanted to do more, and decided to focus their support on organizations that were helping people overcome challenges and achieve success. Howard Community College (HCC) fit what they were looking for. They starting giving to HCC after learning about academic support programs that are helping individuals succeed and thrive. "We want to help those who need it, in ways that maintain and support their dignity," Ms. Schneider explains. "The Howard P.R.I.D.E. and Career Links programs are doing just that. They acknowledge the unique circumstances and challenges of the students, while providing resources to help them find their own success." Howard P.R.I.D.E., which stands for purpose, respect, initiative, determination, and excellence, is a mentorship and leadership program designed to promote academic success and achievement for Black male students through peer support, academic monitoring and advising, and academic and professional skills development. Career Links provides support and assistance to single parents and displaced homemakers in managing the challenges of balancing college, work, and family. Along with peer support, the program provides one-on-one assistance to students to identify and access resources for academic and career success. As an adjunct professor in HCC's mathematics division, Mr. Schneider was impressed by the focus and drive of HCC students, in spite of the obstacles many of them face. "It seems like every student in my classroom has a plan, and a desire to move forward," he said. "There is so much diversity on the campus, and HCC is a place where people of all walks of life and socioeconomic backgrounds come to lift themselves up." Their investment pays off in student success stories, like that of Tammy Anderson, who returned to college after a divorce and the loss of her mother. Battling grief and the pressure of being a sole supporter of her children, Anderson nearly crumbled. "I thought I was Super Woman, but it didn't work out that way," she said. A concerned professor pointed her to the Career Links program, where she took advantage of free counseling services to manage her grief, as well as other program resources that allowed her to continue her academic journey. Abdoul Keita was introduced to the Howard P.R.I.D.E. program through an on-campus networking event, with current P.R.I.D.E. students acting as ambassadors for the program. He admits that it was the "free food" that first got him in the door, but after that he was able to take part in many of P.R.I.D.E.'s outreach activities and receive tutoring to help with his classwork. Keita credits the P.R.I.D.E. program with giving him confidence in the classroom and an understanding of the career options open to him as a business major. The Schneiders credit Career Links Program Associate Okay. Director Maureen Marshall and Howard P.R.I.D.E. Program Assistant Director Geoffrey Colbert for offering personal attention and encouragement to every student. "You don't expect the curve balls, but when those things happen and they pull you off track, you have to figure out something else," Anderson said. "The services at HCC were amazing. And I graduated. That was an amazing thing for my kids to see." Ms. Schneider said, "These students often face challenges just to get through the day. They need wins, and these programs help provide those wins." WHY GIVE? "The Howard P.R.I.D.E. and Career Links programs...acknowledge the unique circumstances and challenges of the students, while providing resources to help them find their own success." — Susan Schneider t (Left to right) Bill Schneider, Career Links Associate Director Maureen Marshall, Susan Schneider, and Howard P.R.I.D.E. Assistant Director Geoffrey Colbert

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