Throughout April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness Month in the U.S., we’re reminded that survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and the like, come from all genders, socioeconomic strata, races and ages.
Current and former foster care students in the Merced College NextUp program will tell you their guides turn themselves inside out to offer help.The staff will tell you the students inspire their work even more.
It began easily enough. A group of Merced College students had gathered on Zoom last summer to participate in an improvement program. The single parents were all recharging their batteries before the fall semester.
Merced College has for years offered programs to specifically reach and nurture Black students, Latino students, disabled students, students who are military veterans, foster youth, homeless or anyone struggling academically.
Merced College students needn't go hungry.That's not a goal. That is the uplifting truth behind the student food pantry, which came to campus full time in 2017.
When this year began, our society was still reeling from the first year of COVID-19. We were still working from home and students were still figuring out how to learn in online environments, and it was easy to slip into a mode of pining for whatever we had one considered "normal."