Daytona State’s Falcon HOPE Center: new name, expanded mission to help students in need

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Daytona State’s Falcon HOPE Center: new name, expanded mission to help students in need

Daytona State College’s Falcon HOPE Center (formerly the Center for Women and Men) is opening a new wing for students who are also parents.

“For many students, a bus pass or help with child care can be the difference between graduating and dropping out of school,” said the center’s director, Rabecka Collins, who herself was a student-parent and received support from the program while attending classes. “It’s an incredible challenge to balance family, work and school in any circumstance, but even more so for our underserved communities.”

Since 1976, the Falcon HOPE Center has helped hundreds of students overcome educational challenges by providing a supportive and nurturing environment, fostering personal and educational growth, and teaching skills for self-sufficiency.

The new name, Falcon HOPE (Home to Opportunity, Possibility & Empowerment) Center more accurately reflects what Daytona State College has always worked to achieve, Collins said. The center is nearing completion of its new wing — Falcon’s Nest — where student-parents can study or meet with faculty and staff while their children play in a safe, welcoming environment.

“When a student-parent graduates, it empowers the entire family,” Collins said. “Being able to bring their children to school gives parents peace of mind and — for the kids — instills the value of getting an education at an early age.”

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— Compiled by Interim Business Editor Tory Brown

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