Magazine highlights MHCC achievements

EastView magazine is spreading the down low on what’s up around campus

By Courtney Hamer

Have you received the tool for success? The new EastView magazine for MHCC published its first issue over the summer and was distributed by mail to households in the community colleges district.

“Because of our existence, we are an economic tool,” said Al Sigala, the college advancement director at MHCC. Sigala said the EastView magazine is for the community to have another point of view on MHCC and for people to really get in the skin of education.

MHCC is trying to spread the word of “enrollment” to the community, and the six-page magazine is helping the spread. According to Sigala, surveys showed that people in the community love MHCC, but not enough of them know about what the college has to offer, or how it will help their future. EastView will help students with those hard college decisions like, which college should I go to? What if I don’t like it? Or, what does this college have to offer that another one doesn’t?

Over these last four decades MHCC has served more than 860,000 students, but enrollment is dropping each year. Too many students drop out of college within the first couple of weeks, and MHCC is trying to stop it. Spreading the word to the community will not only help students increase their education, but will also increase enrollment at MHCC.

The EastView magazine includes information on MHCC supercharging the economy and how the campus covers the whole state. It also includes stories on graduated students and their success in the work force.

MHCC offers many interesting programs and clubs. A quote from the EastView says, “Through MHCC’s partnerships in area high schools and statewide universities, the reach of our campus is greater than ever!” MHCC wants people to know that they are partners with universities and high schools in our community. Having partnerships will make it easier for families to take the first few steps toward their future of higher education. The Oregonian report finds that MHCC is the number one choice among top area high school students.

Two students from MHCC got an internship at a hospital for nursing over many other students from other community colleges and universities. Studies show that students who go to a community college their first two years, then a university their second two years, have a better education. A community college provides more one-on-one learning between students and teachers. Sigala says that the first and second year students at a university are just numbers and don’t get as much help when they ask for it.

The magazine comes straight from Sigala’s offices, and are funded through the college general fund. EastView will be reappearing in the middle of October and also in the winter. It will be published quarterly throughout the year.

If you don’t live in the area, or were not mailed a copy, you can pick up a copy in the Student Services office and other places around campus.