Student Support Services

Enrolling in and attending college presents many new opportunities for growth and development. Student Support Services (SSS) is a program designed to help students who are income eligible, first generation and/or have a documented disability successfully navigate this new adventure. We serve students who have the potential and desire to achieve the goal of a college degree or certificate while meeting program eligibility requirements. The program serves as your personal guide through the educational process at RCC to success.

RCC receives funding for SSS from the U.S. Department of Education through TRiO, a series of federal higher education support grant programs. Participant eligibility criteria are dictated by the federal grant. Learn the steps to take part in the SSS program.

Support services are available free of charge and include:

Counseling is available for you to discuss your college experiences, personal life, and career choices
Advising allows for the exploration of your 4-year college transfer needs, selection of your RCC classes, and tracking your coursework towards graduation
Tutoring is offered for many RCC classes by appointment in both one to one and group formats. Tutoring is also offered on-line through the Brainfuse program in Canvas
College Success Workshops are scheduled throughout the semester to engage you in learning effective study habits, time management skills, transfer information, and general college transition strategies
Cultural Events expose you to historical sites, plays, music, art, museums, 4-year college tours, and sports events in order to broaden your experiences and opportunities
Financial Aid and Scholarship Assistance affords you the opportunity to stay current on the necessary steps to complete the Federal FAFSA form and provides information on available scholarships for RCC students. The SSS program also distributes a limited number of student grant awards to eligible participants.
Financial Literacy Workshops for SSS participants are facilitated by local financial experts. Topics include help with financing a college education, understanding how to use credit, how to create and maintain a budget, and how to keep your bank account balanced
Assistance for Students with Disabilities encourages students to be self-advocates and works in collaboration with the disability services arranged through the Office of Student Development. RCC provides appropriate academic accommodations as provided by Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title V of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Eligibility

Eligibility to participate in the SSS program is based upon the following criteria (as created by program federal guidelines):

Enrolled or accepted for enrollment at RCC
Citizen or national of the U.S. or student meeting residency requirements for federal student financial aid
And meets at least one of the following criteria:

- Low-income – Family taxable income should meet appropriate federal guidelines, as assessed by program staff. Students who receive a Pell Grant and/or public aid usually meet this guideline.
- First generation college student — Neither of your parents earned a four-year college degree.
- A student with a disability – Documentation of physical, mental or emotional disability within the last three years.

All RCC SSS students must demonstrate the academic potential for graduating from RCC or transferring to a four-year college.

Participate

Here are the steps to get involved:

Schedule to meet with the SSS counselor on your campus (Glenns Campus office – Room 106 or Warsaw Campus office – Room 105) and let the counselor determine your eligibility to participate in the program based upon the required criteria.
Complete and submit the application provided by the counselor.
Set goals, participate, and commit to success through the SSS program.

In addition to your completed application, please bring the following documentation to your first meeting with the SSS counselor:

Current Financial Aid Award (Pell Grant) letter or
Copy of most recently signed and filed 1040 tax form(s) — and, if applicable
Written documentation of disability

TRiO Programs

Federal TRiO Programs are educational outreach programs designed to motivate and support students that have been historically underrepresented on college campuses. TRiO includes six outreach and support programs targeted to serve and assist low-income, first-generation college students, and students with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post-baccalaureate programs. The overarching goal of all TRiO programs is to help students overcome cultural, social, and economic barriers to higher education.

Interested in applying for the TRiO program? Contact us at 804-758-6747 on the Glenns campus or 804-333-6736 on the Warsaw campus for more information.

More Information

Click on any of the links below for more information on the course/subject matter:

Academic Tutorial Websites

Disability Support Services Websites

Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology (DO-IT). This website promotes the use of technology to maximize the independence, productivity, and participation of people with disabilities.
Disability Access Information and Support (DAIS). An important resource to the higher education community, providing a menu of services for those concerned with disability and access in higher education.
Americans with Disabilities Act Homepage. Information on enforcement, technical assistance, and mediation.
The Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD). This association is an organization of professionals committed to full participation in higher education for persons with disabilities. The Association is a vital resource, promoting excellence through education, communication and training.

SSS Events

We’re here to help you!

Life can be overwhelming sometimes. We’ve all experienced it, and you aren’t alone. Come and develop your resiliency super power with RCC’s Wellness Warriors. Informal, no pressure, judgement-free gatherings on Zoom to learn about resources and strategies to help you be the best you can.

Mental health professional April Martinez will help us talk about issues and explore coping strategies. Attend which ever meeting times work for you!

If you have any questions, please contact Lorraine Justice, Director of the Student Support Services program at ljustice@rappahannock.edu.

Meeting Schedule:

December 1 (Thursday) from 3:30 – 5 pm

Join Zoom Meeting: https://vccs.zoom.us/j/84443654247

Or call in at:
301-715-8592
Meeting ID: 844 4365 4247

If you have any questions, please contact Lorraine Justice, Director of the Student Support Services program at ljustice@rappahannock.edu.

The month of March is designated as Women’s History Month–a time to encourage and celebrate the vital role women have played in American history.

On March 23 RCC hosted a panel discussion titled, “Women Inspirational Authors.” The panel featured Dr. Kelly Fanto Deetz, Director of Education, Programming and Visitor Engagement at Stratford Hall Plantation in Virginia and Co-CEO History Arts and Science Action Network; Wynette Richardson, educator and former VCCS English professor; and Lisa Anderson, human resources professional.

Facilitated by Dr. Gena McKinley, RCC English professor. Dr. Kennedy provided the welcome.

In case you missed it, you can watch the presentation at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da3miQPwWp8

Rappahannock Community College celebrates and honors the lives and legacies of African Americans throughout the year with inclusion and programming to support our students, faculty, staff and our community members. The month of February has been recognized as Black History Month when our nation reflects “on more than 400 years of Black history and heritage” (blackhistorymonth.gov, 2022). During this month, we celebrate the achievements by African Americans nationwide and locally.

RCC hosted several events throughout the month of February.

Thomas Washington’s Life Mattered. If you missed the live event, view the recording at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnYV41VeLks

Learn about the process and the steps that were taken to bring to light the dark history in Essex county where in 1896, Thomas Washington, a Black man was lynched by a mob, and where a historic marker now stands. Soil collected from the site will also be displayed at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama. The panel members include two local community leaders, Reginald Carter and Bessida Cauthorne-White, as well as Sarah Pope, a descendant of the coroner who investigated the crime. They will discuss activism, the importance of using your voice in your community, and the work of communities across the nation to engage in genuine and sustained efforts that advance a new era of truth and justice by confronting racial history in a way most communities have never done.

To learn more about the dedication of the marker please read information from The Virginia Department of Historic Resources https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/press_releases/a-state-historical-marker-to-be-dedicated-in-essex-county/. To learn more about the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Alabama: https://museumandmemorial.eji.org/memorial

Watch the movie The Hail-Storm: John Dabney in Virginia: https://www.hailstormdabney.com/watch

The movie accounts the life of John Dabney who “was a giant of 19th-century Richmond high society,” a fixture at sophisticated society events, and a family man who left a legacy to his family and community despite living the first 41 years of his life enslaved. Meet the the film makers, Hannah Ayers and Lance Warren, and scholarly advisor/cast member Dr. Cassandra Newby-Alexander, as we discuss the making of the film and its impact on black history.

SSS Headlines

RCC Celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month

September 21, 2021/by Michele Inderrieden

Rappahannock Community College proudly celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 – October 15. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. RCC honors our community members, students, and employees, as well as the contributions and innovations of American citizens whose […]

RCC Alumni Spotlight: Dristin Jackson

August 10, 2021/by Michele Inderrieden

VCU Honors Student Gets Start at RCC and Through Support of the SSS Program Dristin Jackson says it was a combination of luck and opportunity that landed him at Rappahannock Community College (RCC). Not feeling ready to tackle the changes and expense of heading off to a four-year college, he wanted to attend a community […]