Student Services Spotlight: Student Outreach and Support (SOS) Office
The Student Outreach and Support (SOS) Office at HFC exists to support students with:
- Personal and career counseling
- A series of workshops (time management, stress management, note-taking, test-taking)
- Emergency funding
SOS is in Room A-125 in the Learning Success Center (LSC) (Building A on the main campus). The office may be reached online at the link above.
One of the office's main functions is to assist you if have a financial emergency that may impact your coursework. There are several programs to provide financial assistance.
HawkStrong Emergency Fund
The HawkStrong Emergency Fund is an emergency student support fund created to empower HFC students to meet essential financial challenges and to keep you moving forward. Funding for each HawkStrong request will generally be $500 or less. Additional funding could be provided for certain circumstances.
The fund is intended to assist enrolled students with temporary financial emergencies arising from loss of employment or similar circumstances. It is intended to assist you with the following:
- Preventing immediate risk of homelessness or loss of essential utility services due to sudden loss of employment
- Assisting with unforeseen essential travel expenses (i.e., the cost of basic car repairs, gasoline, bus card, et al) between home and work/school
- Meeting the cost of daycare due to sudden loss of employment
- Providing access to technology if students lack the resources to attend classes online
At this time, dual-enrolled students are not eligible for the HawkStrong Emergency Fund.
Interested in contributing? Feel free to donate to the HawkStrong Emergency Fund.
Book Stipend
The book stipend serves to bridge the gap from the beginning of the semester to the time when your financial aid is awarded. To qualify, you must be a new HFC student who has applied for financial aid and been notified that you will receive a financial aid award. While you are waiting for your financial aid award, SOS will buy your textbooks from the College Store. When your financial aid is awarded, the amount of your book stipend will be repaid to SOS.
Perkins Grant
The Perkins Grant is a fund that provides financial assistance to students in need. To qualify, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be a current HFC student
- Have a GPA of 2.0 or higher
- Have an unmet need of $600 or more (as determined by the HFC Office of Financial Aid)
- Enroll in a state-approved academic major (the Perkins Grant coordinator can tell you if your academic program is state-approved)
You may use the Perkins Grant for anything that will help keep you in school and help you reach your educational goals. This includes:
- Tuition and fees
- Books
- Car repairs
- Car insurance
- Child care
- Transportation (gasoline or bus card)
- Other living expenses within reason
For questions or more information about the Perkins Grant, contact Dr. Brenda Hildreth at 313-845-9629 or bjhildreth@hfcc.edu.
Food security
For students experiencing food insecurity, the Hawks’ Nest food pantry – in Room L-138 of the Andrew A. Mazzara Administrative Services & Conference Center) (ASCC) (Bldg. L) – provides food and personal hygiene items to students in need.
For questions or more information or to set up an appointment at the Hawks’ Nest, contact hawksnest@hawkmail.hfcc.edu.
SAFE@HFC
The top priority of SAFE@HFC – a campus organization of faculty and staff LGBTQ+ allies and community members who are spreading awareness on campus, providing support, and connecting students and employees to resources –
Some options for getting involved with SAFE@HFC include:
- Become an ally or find an ally
- Volunteer with SAFE@HFC
- Attend SAFE@HFC meetings and events
- Learn about support resources
For questions or more information or to volunteer, contact safe@hfcc.edu.