THE BRIDGE PROJECT:
Connecting Community, College and Careers

MISSION

Using traditional and distance learning approaches, the Bridge Project at the Dunbar Community Center offers accredited college courses to a maximum of 50 eligible, ethnically different students from various social and economic backgrounds in and around the Mason Square neighborhood of Springfield, Massachusetts. Eligible students are either, a) first-generation college students; b) low income students as determined by federal low-income standards; c) learning disabled; or, d)residents of the target area, or any combination of these. Instruction will include classroom teaching as well as on-line offerings, the latter on an "as-ready" basis arrived at through a combination of focus workshops and face-to-face training. Coursework developed and supported by the Center for Instructional Technology (CIT) is augmented by a wide array of student support services that include personal and academic counseling, tutorials, mentoring and enrichment activities.

Thematically, the Bridge Project aims to encourage students to focus on achieving academic success while encouraging them to consider professional careers in the field of Education. To that end, the project offers 3-credit courses on the history and developments in American education as a center-piece to wider offerings in English composition, mathematics, critical thinking and sociology among others. Successful students are transitioned into baccalaureate programs at the college with the support of the Massachusetts Educational Opportunity Program (MEOP), the Urban Education (UE) program, and the Student Support Services (SSS) program. Each of these programs offers eligible students sequential academic and counseling support?including help in enrolling, securing financial aid, tutorials and mentoring, cultural enrichment, career planning and placement - from First-Year to graduation and, subsequently, to graduate and professional school.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Considering the complexities of the problems mentioned above, the goal of the Bridge Project is relatively modest. We intend to: 

Increase the Number of Teachers and Professionals from Springfield

To achieve this goal we have developed the following performance objectives:

1. IDENTIFY A MAXIMUM OF 50 NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS WHO ARE EITHER FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS, LOW INCOME STUDENTS AS DETERMINED BY FEDERAL LOW-INCOME STANDARDS, LEARNING DISABLED, OR ANY COMBINATION OF THESE, AND ENROLL THEM IN THE BRIDGE PROJECT (BP) AT THE DUNBAR COMMUNITY CENTER
2. THE OFFICE OF MULTICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT (OMD) AND THE STUDENT ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE CENTER?S (SASC) OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID WILL HELP 50 BP STUDENTS DEVELOP FINANCIAL AID PACKAGES THAT SATISFY 100% OF FINANCIAL NEED WITH MINIMAL DEPENDENCE ON STUDENT/PARENT LOANS
3. THE OMD AND THE COLLEGE?S CENTER FOR INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY (CIT) WILL IMPLEMENT TRADITIONAL AND ON-LINE COURSES TO ENABLE 70% OF BP STUDENTS TO EARN PASSING GRADES IN AN EDUCATION ORIENTED CURRICULUM
4. IN CONJUNCTION DUNBAR STAFF AND THE OMD, THE MASSACHUSETTS EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM (MEOP) AND THE URBAN EDUCATION PROGRAM (UE) WILL IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM OF ACADEMIC SUPPORT, COUNSELING AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES ENABLING 70% OF BP STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE PASSING GRADES
5. TOGETHER WITH UE, MEOP AND CIT, THE OMD WILL WORK WITH THE SASC?S OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS TO COORDINATE THE ENROLLMENT OF 100% OF SUCCESSFUL BP STUDENTS INTO APPROPRIATE BACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS AT THE COLLEGE

BRIDGE Support Team at WSC