Benedict College opens center to help underserved communities receive an education

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — The new B.E.S.T. Lives Center just across from Benedict College’s football field on Two Notch Road will help facilitate the transition back to college for underserved and vulnerable communities (B.E.S.T. stands for “Benedict Empowers Students and Transforms Lives”).

President Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis says the official opening has been over two years in the making.

“To be quite frank, it was a dream of mine. To expand the offerings of Benedict College, the opportunities available at Benedict College, to, again, populations who might not automatically seek out an opportunity here. We traditionally educate students, the 18 to 21-year-old traditional population, but we know there are a number of adult learners and second chance scholars who really need the quality education that Benedict provides,” Clark Artis says.

For one, the center will assist adult learners, who as an example Clark Artis says may have put off their education after having children or who’ve been busy assisting their aging parents.

Other communities who can receive support include military members and their families, former foster care scholars, and those who are formerly incarcerated.

Essie Sellers is the Director of Retention for the B.E.S.T. Lives Center, helping formerly incarcerated students and even folks currently incarcerated through Benedicts’ Reset Prison Education Program receive a Bachelor’s degree.

“There’s always so much optimism. You can see that spark in their eye that they want more for themselves. And I think that’s what keeps our center flowing and going. We’re reenergized every single day when we have these individuals come in because we want to make sure we give them our very best. The B.E.S.T. Life Center — that’s what we’re all about. We want you to live your best life.”

Navy Veteran Myron Davis is the Director of B.E.S.T. Lives’ Veterans Resource Center.

He says he makes sure Veterans, active duty service members, their spouses and dependents get certified for military benefits as they transition to school.

“A lot of times when they get out, they don’t have the information or knowledge to go to school or know what their benefits are, so it’s important for them to reach out to someone who can help and get them started on their journey to get benefits so they can go to school and become better citizens in society,” Davis says.

Leaders find that many students are able to receive Pell grants for tuition assistance, with both degree completion programs and four-year degrees available — all through Benedict College.