Great Stories from OCC’s AmeriCorps Student Resource Center- Central Ohio Technical College

January 12, 2022

Hannah Brunaugh (she/her/hers) is a first year Student Resource Center AmeriCorps member serving at Central Ohio Technical College (COTC). She’s excited to make a difference at COTC and help students with various challenges they may face. In the past she has developed and overseen many projects with focuses on mental health advocacy and food insecurities. Hannah is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Education with the goal to be an 8th grade science teacher. In her free time, she enjoys coaching middle school cheer at a local school, being outdoors, and spending time with her family and friends. 

Written by Hannah Brunaugh, Ohio Campus Compact’s Student Resource Center Coordinator at Central Ohio Technical College

“This year, the Americorps Student Resource Center at COTC has worked closely with individual students to connect them with resources to help them succeed in and out of the classroom. When students begin their time at COTC they complete a Student Entrance Survey in which they answer questions that can help indicate anything that may be a challenge when completing school. We have worked to process these surveys as they come in, and provide resources to any students who may need them. During the fall semester we had the privilege to work with more than 120 students and connect them with resources that may benefit them and help them to succeed.”

Stephen Pierce (he/him/his) is a second year AmeriCorps member serving at Central Ohio Technical College. This year he is part of the Ohio Campus Compact Student Resource Center Initiative. For his service he is focusing on challenges that students may face outside of the classroom. As someone who grew up in poverty stricken rural Appalachia, he hopes to create a community and safety net for students to pursue their dreams. He graduated from Ohio University in 2014 with degrees in history and psychology and Columbus State in 2021 with a degree in cybersecurity. In his free time, I enjoy playing video games and Stephen is also an amateur bird photographer!

Written by Stephen Pierce, Ohio Campus Compact’s Student Resource Center Coordinator at Central Ohio Technical College

“My personal biggest success this year has been with helping in expanding the COTC/OSU-Newark food pantry’s reach. The shared campus has had a food pantry for years, but it has only ever been able to service the main campus at Newark. My site supervisor and I, however, wanted to be able to help our students on our extended campuses as well. We partnered with our food pantry to make this possible. When the food pantry gets an order for an extended campus, they pack it like they would for a regular Newark Campus pick up. I then pick up the order and then take it to the extended campus. I hand deliver the food order to make sure the student successfully gets it – I also make sure the student doesn’t need any other help and use this as a chance to spread awareness of the Student Resource Center.”

For more information about the Student Resource Center program, contact Melissa Bell at mbell {at} ohiocampuscompact(.)org.