Chavis Community Center to Serve As College Information Center

Young people and their families soon will be able to get easy-to-understand information about attending and paying for college when they drop by the Chavis Community Center at 505 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Raleigh.

Chavis Community Center has been selected to house the first Raleigh College Center, an information hub for people who want to learn about going to college. The public is invited to attend a dedication and open house at the Raleigh College Center at Chavis from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30. Information will be available about colleges and universities in Raleigh, and free pizza will be served.

The College Center is sponsored by the Raleigh Colleges and Community Collaborative, which recently won a $1.3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help low-income young people in Raleigh complete their postsecondary education and get good jobs. The Collaborative includes the six colleges and universities in Raleigh as well as the City of Raleigh, the Wake County Public School System, Wake County Human Services, businesses, faith-based organizations, nonprofits, teens and college students.

"Most jobs in the future will require employees who have college degrees or certificates," said Jose Picart, executive director of the Collaborative and special assistant to the provost for outreach and engagement at N.C. State University. "A well-educated workforce will benefit our entire community, which is why so many organizations and individuals are supporting our effort to fully prepare our young people to go beyond high school."

College brochures and other information will be available at Chavis during its regular operating hours. Additionally, representatives of colleges and universities in Raleigh will conduct information sessions at Chavis on two nights each month, providing an introduction to college and financial aid. The sessions will be free and open to all.

"Chavis is an important community gathering spot, and it is an ideal location for the Raleigh College Center," said Al Byrd, director of Chavis Community Center. "Many young people come to Chavis regularly, so having the first Raleigh College Center here will offer the perfect opportunity for them to learn about college."

Representatives of the Raleigh Colleges and Community Collaborative conducted four focus groups with teens to help determine the services to be offered at the Raleigh College Center. The teens said they wanted information about various types of colleges and universities, how to get loans and other financial support, advice from students already in college and access to computers, among other services.

The Collaborative plans to open additional College Centers this year at other convenient locations in Raleigh, including a computer lab where students can receive assistance as they fill out applications for college admission and financial aid.

The Raleigh College Center is one aspect of the Collaborative's larger initiative known as the Raleigh Promise.

The Raleigh Promise also includes:
• Raleigh Future Scholars, providing high school students with academic coaching, workplace internships, SAT preparation, financial literacy and help with the transition to college and
• Raleigh Fellows, supporting college students through orientation, mentoring, internships and job search services.