September 20, 2022 (Chattanooga, TN) --- Chattanooga State Community College recently redefined its purpose for the 21st century to support and empower everyone in our community to learn without limits. Caring about the well-being of each other and providing holistic student support is at the heart of the College.

Chattanooga State’s Student Support Center (SSC) offers a multitude of services designed to meet the physical and emotional needs of its students. While some of these services involve counseling and/or referrals to community resources, the College also has services to address basic needs such as food insecurity, emergency assistance, and transportation. Services to help with basic needs are one of the most powerful ways to provide a student with calming assurance enabling them stay in school and complete their program of study.

Food insecurity is addressed through the ChattState Tiger Cupboard. Campus volunteers help to maintain the cupboard, which provides supplemental food and other necessities for students in need. Food is donated regularly by faculty, staff, campus clubs, and organizations.

The Helping Hands fund, established through the Chattanooga State Foundation, is designed to support current students in need who encounter unforeseen urgent financial emergencies that would otherwise prevent them from staying in school and completing their program of study.

In addition, free in-person tutoring and virtual tutoring services for math, writing, and many specific courses can help students improve their academic performance and stay on track.

When Chattanooga State’s free transportation agreement with Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) ended in August of 2022, the Chattanooga State Foundation came to the rescue. 

“I am happy to share that we are collaborating with CARTA to continue this service for the next year,” stated Dr. Amanda Bennett, Student Affairs vice president. “While HEERF dollars are no longer available, the Chattanooga State Foundation has invested funds to continue this important service.” CARTA’s service allows students without reliable transportation to access the campus and stay in school. During the past year, this service provided rides to over 8,000 members of the College community.

“Our partnership with CARTA reflects our commitment to holistic student support, caring for our students outside of the classroom and enabling them to be successful inside the classroom,” added Dr. Bennett. “Additionally, this service for students and employees reflects our prioritization of organizational culture and inclusive practices and our value of caring for one another.”

For more information, contact the Office of Student Affairs at (423) 697-2577.