WATSONVILLE—Last week students at Cabrillo College plugged into an in-person study space at the community college’s Watsonville center.
Staged at the outdoor work area of the Solari Green Technology Center, the program offers students a space to hook up to Wi-Fi and campus Chrome books, and access free printing, library materials, counseling, zoom meetings and more.
“This is also a great way for students to connect at the start of the semester,” said Tera Martin, coordinator at the Integrated Learning Center. “It’s a way to help students cope in these trying times and to give them support.”
Cabrillo has offered the program at various points during the pandemic and has made additions and improvements to accommodate the ebb and flow between in-person and distance learning.
Currently, the school is set to conduct most of its courses virtually until at least Feb. 22.
“I really like it,” said Elizabeth Espinoza, who is studying economics and took time on Friday to catch up on homework during her third year at Cabrillo. “There’s no space at my house and there are a lot of little kids with a lot of noise. Here, I can fully concentrate and do all my work to keep pace with my classes.”
Martin said Monday that Cabrillo will also offer the computer lab as an indoor study space during inclement weather. The lab features, among other things, scores of desktop computer workstations, an amped-up air filtration system and windows that can be left open for ventilation, Martin said.
“During the summer and fall we expanded our counseling and tutoring services with indoor spaces, but the world shifted again with the pandemic, so we’re back to limited services,” Martin said. “This study space allows our students to work and feel like students in a supportive environment. It’s all about students wanting to be students.”
Marlene Hernandez, who is a fourth-year psychology student, said the workspace is ideal.
“There is no internet at my house,” she said. “And there are many distractions there. I can concentrate better here, and I can get a lot of help. It’s a friendly community and on Fridays, there’s the Farmer’s Market right next door, which really adds to the experience. I also use the Aptos campus as well. I use these workspaces as often as I can.”
