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  • 29 Who Shine

STCC’s live online chat feature connects students during COVID-19

October 16, 2020

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The live chat feature on the Springfield Technical Community College website has been quietly in use for nearly 10 years, but has exploded in popularity since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

STCC Vice President of Student Affairs Darcey Kemp said students as well as the general public are hitting the button on the website called “ChatNOW!” more than ever. They can easily connect with a STCC employee to get information about departments and services including:

  • Admissions
  • Academic Advising and Transfer Center
  • Health and Wellness Center
  • Student Financial Services
  • IT Help
  • Library
  • General Information

“It’s a fast and efficient way for our students and members of the community to connect with us. They don’t have to wait for a return email or leave a voicemail. If they chat with us during normal business hours (Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. -5 p.m.), they will be connected with a STCC employee,” Kemp said. “I think STCC serves as a model for others looking to meet the needs of their students. Other community colleges have asked us about our experience with ChatNOW! We have received positive feedback from students, and we are proud of the statistics. Students are able to rate their experience and give us feedback. The numbers grow each month.”

Between March 6 and April 5, the college recorded 170 engagements with the ChatNOW! tool. The following month, the total number of chats grew to 747. Between Aug. 6 and Sept. 5, the number hit 3,841 chats per month – over 20 times the amount of requests in March.

STCC restricted access to the campus in mid-March and transitioned to remote and online operations to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmissions. Prior to the start of the pandemic, students often would stop by the Ira Rubenzahl Student Learning Commons (Building 19) on campus to get information.

“Our ChatNOW! feature is like a virtual Building 19,” said Jasmine Herman, an administrative assistant with the Academic Advising and Transfer Center who responds to ChatNOW! questions. “You can get transferred from office to office within the same chat. The students receive a transcript of their chat, with access to helpful links. ChatNOW! is quicker than walking to the building in person and gives the students everything they need to know in writing.”

In addition to students, the live chat feature gets used by people living in the community – those who might be interested in applying to STCC or finding out about events as well as employers and officials from public schools seeking information about the college.

“We flipped from on-campus operations to the virtual space very quickly. We are still providing core services, resources and answering questions for our students. I’m really proud of the high level of service our teams have provided using the ChatNOW! tool,” Kemp said

Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.

About Springfield Technical Community College

STCC, the Commonwealth's only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC's highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide unequalled opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the college – a designated Hispanic Serving Institution – seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed and socially responsible graduates.     

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu

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Springfield Technical Community College provides the information herein as a public service, with the understanding that Springfield Technical Community College strives to achieve the highest standards in content accuracy on its Website. Springfield Technical Community College makes no warranties, either expressed or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this Website. Errors or omissions should be reported to the web developer: webmaster@stcc.edu. Visitors to our Web pages might see links to Internet resources outside of the Springfield Technical Community College Website: all are provided solely for the convenience of our Website visitors. By providing such links, Springfield Technical Community College should not be considered as endorsing any or all outside sites linked from our main site. When a visitor links to another site that is not an official Springfield Technical Community College Website, the user is no longer on a Springfield Technical Community College Website and thus, Springfield Technical Community College disclaims any responsibility or liability for the services or information offered at such non-college sites. At all times, Springfield Technical Community College makes every effort to accurately present programs and policies to the public. Those responsible for preparation of the catalog, the class schedule, and all other public announcements make every effort to ensure that the information presented is current and correct. However, Springfield Technical Community College reserves the right to modify or eliminate courses or programs and to add, amend, or repeal any and all rules, regulations, policies, and procedures at any time. Springfield Technical Community College assumes no responsibility for publication errors beyond its control. All users of the College's Website shall have no expectation of privacy over such use.

Springfield Technical Community College
One Armory Square,
Springfield, MA 01105
(413) 781-7822
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