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All ����԰ students can get free tax preparation on the Raymond Campus beginning today, Jan. 31, as the first step in the college’s new partnership with Single Stop USA. (See the schedule and contact information below.)

Single Stop USA is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping low-income individuals achieve financial self-sufficiency and economic mobility. 

“For a long time we have wanted to help our students be more successful, particularly those students who have difficulty, financially or otherwise, of completing a degree,” said ����԰ President Dr. Clyde Muse. “We know there’s a lot more to being successful in college than just being able to do the actual coursework. Many other things get in the way – child care, financial problems or whatever.”

At ����԰, Single Stop will help students with a variety of life issues that are getting in their way of staying in college and graduating, such as child care, food insecurity, transportation, housing and legal services. Single Stop can assess if a student is eligible for benefits and then assists the student in connecting with those resources.

Free tax preparation at ����԰ through United Way is an example.

“I see Single Stop as a centralized approach to connect our students with external resources so that they can persist until they gradate or just achieve their educational goals while attending ����԰.  I think it’s one of the best initiatives in higher education that’s available today,” said Dr. Tyrone Jackson, district dean of students, who will oversee the program.

The first ����԰ location will be in Room 117 in the District Adult Education Center on the corner of ����԰ Boulevard across from Fountain Hall. Taheera Hoskins, formerly with the Gateway to College program on the Rankin Campus, is ����԰’ Single Stop coordinator.

Dr. Adren Wilson, Single Stop regional director for the Gulf Coast, said preliminary data show that graduation rates increase for the students who use Single Stop services.

“What this is all about is economic mobility and being self-sufficient,” he said. “We are looking at how we intervene, connect with and support your students so that they can succeed here, graduate and achieve their economic goals as well as their education goals.”

Free tax preparation for all ����԰ students is available Jan. 31 to April 15.

•           Monday and Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

•           Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Students should call Taheera Hoskins, 601.857.3233, to schedule an appointment. The tax preparation is in Room 117, District Adult Education Center, Raymond Campus.

For more information see the ����԰ website at