Black Student Success Center Supports Growth

Black Student Success Center Supports Academic and Cultural Growth at College of the Desert

PALM DESERT, CA – The Black Student Success Center (BSSC) at College of the Desert is now open weekly to provide support, networking, and mentoring for those on campus and beyond.

BSSC is accessible every Thursday from noon to 5 p.m. on the Palm Desert Campus, room 112, next to Beeps Café. Members can access counseling, tutoring, and one-on-one advising from Black faculty and counselors. They are also eligible for priority registration, scholarship opportunities and special events such as the African American Male Summit Conference.

“We offer various types of activities and workshops geared to the development of our Black students’ intellectual and academic progress and affirming the Black experience,” said Sociology Professor Jermaine Cathcart, Ph.D., the BSSC co-coordinator.

BSSC was formed by Counseling Services and the Office of Student Life to better serve Black students at College of the Desert. The forerunner to BSSC was the African-American Education Network and Development (A2mend), which was founded on campus in 2016 to support men of color.

BSSC is dedicated to demanding social responsibility, building strong character and moral standards, promoting professionalism, and supporting its members academically. In February, the group held a Black history parade, a soul food celebration and a Black 365 Knowledge Bowl.

“We strive to promote positivity among our members, on campus and in the surrounding community,” Coordinator Mary Eden said. “We want to support Black students in their pursuit of academic success while acknowledging their unique cultural identities.”

For more information, or to become a member, please visit collegeofthedesert.edu.