Gulf Coast Community College

Unique Programs

College Reach Out Program

The College Reach Out Program, CROP, is a novel approach to attracting the attention of young adults in order to motivate them to attend college. In order to be eligible for the program, students must meet one economic criteria as well as one academic criteria. An individual can meet one of these economic criteria listed to be considered for the program: is a member of a lower economic family, is in the process of receiving public assistance, or is enrolled in a reduced or free lunch program. In terms of academic standards, students can qualify if they have a GPA of less than a 2.5, have performed less than satisfactorily on the FCAT, have missed more than 25 days of school, have been suspended, expelled, or retained, are in a Dropout Prevention program, or have the potential to be first generation college students.

Continuing Education Classes

Gulf Coast also offers continuing education courses. These courses cover a variety of subjects, fields, and material. There are courses to assist in professional development; there are courses that relate to recreational sports, hobbies, or crafts. There are also courses that can be used to fulfill continuing education requirements placed on employees by their employers. Some of these courses are even offered online. Example courses include medical biling and coding certification program, graphic design, conversational Spanish, Kid’s College, and grant writing.

Other Services

Amongst other resources, students also have access to Career Development, Disability Support Services, the Counseling Center, Student Union and the Success Center. The Success Center is a tutorial service offered by the college to assist students in math and English in particular. It seeks to improve basic grammar and quantitative skills. The Counseling Center is for students who may have issues transitioning from high school, may have relationship problems, are feeling unsure, or would just like to speak to someone regarding their feelings. Career Development provides assistance to students in terms of helping to decide on a major, discussing with students their future career plans, reviewing resumes and providing recommendations, interview tips, and more. Disability Support Services is for students who have a documented disability such as hearing impairments, physical impairments, chronic illness or learning disabilities for example. Students who fall under these categories can ask for special assistance from the Disability Support . Finally, the Student Union provides access to fun activities, relaxation, a place to gather with friends, and a venue to enjoy college life at its best.

The community directly benefits from the community college presence through the Small Business Development Center. This center provides training and workshops for individuals managing or looking to open a small business. There is even access to training online. One of the many advantages to the center, besides the free consultations and expert advice from individuals in the business, is the computer lab which is housed on site and offers access to software such as Quickbooks and Microsoft Office. Known as the SBDC and located in Lynn Haven, FL , not only is the area location served but also six different counties. Example workshops include “steps to starting a small business”, “developing your first business plan”, “understanding balance sheets”, marketing, and “government contracting opportunities.”