Page 4
January 31, 2018
Dream Center Opens
C ontinued from P age 3
Oregon community college or
university officially opened
Jan. 22, made possible through
a $50,000 grant from the Mey-
er Memorial Trust.
Liliana Luna, Rock Creek
Multicultural Center coordi-
nator and a DACA recipient,
said PCC has long recognized
that undocumented and DACA
students face unique barriers
that require additional mental,
emotional and financial sup-
port.
The idea for the new re-
source came from the students.
They wanted to ease pressures
on DACA recipients by tak-
ing down barriers to financial
assistance and the navigation
of college resources. Under
the supervision of the cam-
pus’ Multicultural Center, the
students came up with a plan,
did exhaustive research, and
presented their final concept to
college leadership.
“They met with me in my of-
fice two years ago and told me,
‘This will happen,’” recalled
Rock Creek President Sandra
Fowler-Hill of the students’ de-
termination. “I’m so proud of
their work.”
The opening of the center
fits into PCC’s mission. Last
year, the college’s Board of
Directors declared the institu-
tion a “sanctuary college” to
aid and protect undocumented
students.
President Mark Mitsui em-
phasized concerns about the
impact of potential changes in
federal immigration policy on
PCC’s undocumented students
as the reason for the decision.
The students and their new
resource center coordinator --
Jhoana Monroy -- appreciated
the symbolism of the center’s
opening.
“It’s something big and
unique we are going through,”
said Monroy. “This is an hon-
or for me to be serving these
students, who strive for suc-
cess, education, advocacy and,
above all else, to further their
dreams.”
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