As students start the journey to navigate through community college, American River College has implemented a program to assist through the process, Homebase.

There are six different Homebases, with each set for the major a student is working towards. If the student doesn’t know their major, Homebase will help them figure that out. 

According to Shelvina Singh, coach for Language and People Homebase at ARC, it’s a one-stop support center for students.

For students, it can be difficult to get through the enrollment process, especially if there is a language barrier.

“There are coaches here to help with student needs,” Singh said. “We have people here that speak different languages.”

Homebase will help with different services such as; signing into eservices, accessing and using different applications that may be required and getting setup on Canvas. 

When there are services needed that Homebase doesn’t have access to, such as financial aid, tutoring or any other services, according to Singh they will do a “warm handoff” between the service and the student.

“We advocate for the student,” Singh said. “We make sure their needs are met.”

Each Homebase has dedicated counselors that know the inner workings of that area.

Jennifer Scalzi, an ARC counselor for Technical Education Homebase, believes it’s important to have the counselors available to the student in their degree. 

“Not all counselors in the counseling center have tenure, they may not have the information or realize the steps to be taken,” Scalzi said. “[This is] why Homebase counselors are the best option.”

According to Scalzi, it’s the concept for the counselor to be specialized for each error or requirement of that major. To understand what the student needs and to do it. 

Anastasiya Svyatoshchik, Homebase coach for Technical Education, says it has an Outreach/Work Experience program that goes to different high schools and centers and informs potential new students what is available through ARC.

“Students come in and find out it is either free or cheaper than other educational facilities,” Svyatoshchik said. “Students can get financial aid by attending ARC.”

If there is a problem with financial aid, Homebase will take the time to go through and find the problem and resolve it. 

“Everyone on campus is here to help [the student],” Svyatoshchik said.

There are also supplies available such as; snacks, drinks, free printing, women products, etc.