West Campus Student Success Center to be Named After the Hardesty Family

The TCC Foundation is excited to announce that the new West Campus Student Success Center has been officially named after the Hardesty Family. The naming follows a generous $1 million gift given by the Hardesty Family Foundation to The Campaign for Completion.

“Our investment is about improving our community by impacting the lives of current and future students … TCC plays a major role in training and educating our community.”
Michelle Hardesty, Executive Director of the Hardesty Family Foundation

The Hardesty Student Success Center will be an integral part of helping students receive the help and resources they need to complete their college degrees. National research has shown that student success is highly dependent on help traversing the maze of administrative processes, including admissions, financial aid, tuition payment, career counseling, academic advising, and more. These challenges are identified as the navigational barriers in The Campaign for Completion.

Today, dedicated faculty and advisors are now ready and willing to help. However, many students still don’t know which staff to consult, where to find them, or how to arrange a meeting with them. To make matters worse, many of students have little free time and are reliant on public transportation, so just getting to a meeting can be a challenge. It’s little wonder, then, that many students simply don’t get the services they need. These challenges represent the physical barriers to student success.

“When I find the right office at TCC, the people are always very helpful. I often don’t know where to go or have time to get from class to another building before I need to leave for work.”

This new Student Success Center is part of The Campaign for Completion's $5 million sub-goal of removing physical barriers by strategically placing a Center at every TCC campus. These facilities offer a “one-stop-shop” for students to easily find and engage with admissions, academic advisors, career advice, and more.

Renovations for one Student Success Center are already underway at TCC’s Southeast Campus. There, impressive renovations designed by GH2 Architects feature wide-open common spaces, plenty of natural light, and easily accessible resources with large clear way-finding signs. These new centers are literally front-and-center on campuses, meeting students and visitors alike with open arms and helpful smiles.

Thanks to the generosity of the Hardesty Family Foundation and the community support for The Campaign for Completion, TCC is removing barriers to college completion. The results of our donors’ gifts are already apparent – and their lasting legacy will ripple to reshape the future for generations of Tulsans yet to come.

“If we expect the Tulsa area to continue to grow, we need to ensure we have a properly educated workforce. TCC is well-positioned to fill this need, and we are excited to be a part of TCC’s future.”
Michelle Hardesty, Executive Director of the Hardesty Family Foundation