April 2010 Access Update - Member Profile

NCAN Members Bottom Line and NACRC Reach New Students

NCAN members Northern Arizona College Resource Center (NACRC) and Bottom Line, of Massachusetts, are both reaching new student populations through expansion. NACRC will opened its doors for the first time in April 2010 and is targeting rural populations. Bottom Line is doubling the number of students served in Massachusetts and expanding to a New York City office in 2011.

The Northern Arizona College Resource Center – located inside the new Flagstaff Family YMCA – will open its doors in April.  As part of a major partnership with Northern Arizona University, the Center has received community and statewide support including start-up funding from Arizona GEAR UP.  The Center’s program coordinator Coral Zayas will oversee traditional college access facility programs as well as some creative community developed workshops. Such workshops include study skills offered by the NAU Learning Assistance Centers, soft skills offered by Coconino Community College and Best Buy’s @15 Program, as well as a career spotlight series that has already created a buzz around the community.  A volunteer network of community professionals will assist with career mentor and parent mentor activities.  NACRC’s goal is to become a leader in college access facilities, especially those targeting rural populations.  

Over the next five years, nonprofit Bottom Line intends to double the number of college students they support in Massachusetts, and expand their College Access and College Success programs nationally by launching a New York City office in 2011. These plans are an exciting result of the six-month strategic planning process their staff and Board of Directors recently completed.  Bringing the message that “Getting in is Not Good Enough,” Bottom Line’s national expansion offers an opportunity to extend the public dialogue from college access to college success, in addition to supporting hundreds of additional disadvantaged students who seek to earn a college degree.

This ambitious growth plan was announced by Executive Director Greg Johnson on March 25th at Bottom Line’s 5th Annual Get In, Graduate and Go Far Dinner, which raised over $460,000. Bottom Line is now planning to begin a capital campaign in preparation for launching their national and New York City offices in 15 months. At the same time, they have begun to transition graduating high school seniors from their College Access program to receive support for another four to six years as they attend college, growing their College Success program to nearly 950 college students for 2011.