School Supplies: ASUCC Has Your Back

By Cindy McSperitt · The Mainstream
Published Janurary 24, 2012

 Students in need of backpacks and school supplies may now be able to find some assistance through UCC’s Backpack Program. Fifty backpacks along with supplies were purchased last spring and are now being made available for UCC students who need them.

“This is a new program at UCC,” said Marjan Coester, director of Student Life at UCC and adviser for the Associated Students of UCC. “We have just finished putting all the pieces together to implement it.”

Coester stated that ASUCC’s “original goal” was to target new students who may not have supplies, so they partnered with the advising and counseling center for help with locating new students in need. “Since the advisers and counselors do student intake, they often get a good sense of which students may need some additional support,” Coester said.

The backpacks were purchased with funding from last year’s budget. “Whether more are purchased this year depends on how great the student need is,” said Coester. The first set of 50 backpacks were purchased through the UCC bookstore, but currently they are looking at less expensive purchasing options that would extend their available funding.

The backpacks were purchased for $10 each and come with $15 in supplies giving each backpack a value of approximately $25. Supplies include binders, paper, dividers, highlighters, pens and pencils. The backpacks are being provided free of charge and, so far, only two of the 50 total have been utilized. There are another 48 available for UCC students in need.

Coester added that while their original goal may have been to target new students, this idea is shifting and they may no longer limit backpack recipients to new student only. Any student needing a backpack and supplies should contact a UCC advisor or counselor regarding this program.

Coester added that while their original goal may have been to target new students, this idea is shifting and they may no longer limit backpack recipients to new student only. Any student needing a backpack and supplies should contact a UCC advisor or counselor regarding this program.