From September 8–10, Roxbury Community College (RCC) welcomed more than 2,300 students back to campus with Welcome Week events designed to help students connect and feel a sense of belonging as they began the semester.
Welcome Week began on Tuesday, September 8, with free ice cream and cookies from the Cookie Monstah Truck, along with discounted “Barbers, Braiders & Blowouts.” On Wednesday, September 9, RCC’s Student Government Association (SGA) hosted a tie-dye event in the Building 3 courtyard. The week ended with a lively “welcome back” barbecue that brought students, staff, and partners together with support from DoorDash and RCC’s community partners.
The celebration highlighted DoorDash’s three-year commitment to supporting RCC students and addressing food insecurity. The courtyard was buzzing as more than 200 members of the campus community gathered for an afternoon of food, fun, and connection. Students enjoyed lawn games, good food, slushies from Style House Events, and music from DJ Dru Nyce, whose mix of world music kept the celebration going.
In addition to the games and camaraderie, the event included a short speaking portion. SGA Vice President Libbah Israel shared, “when you walk into Project Access or RoxBox, you’re treated like a person, not a number. And for someone who wasn’t always sure how to ask for help, that meant everything.”
Fair Foods provided free fresh produce for students to take home. Founded by Nancy Jamison, the organization has provided healthy produce to low-income families in the community for more than 38 years. For the past two years, Jamison has also delivered food to RCC once a month, helping students access fresh produce through an ongoing collaboration with the College.
Stop & Shop representatives connected with students through a game offering opportunities to win prizes, adding to the afternoon’s activities.
The event offered a fitting close to a partnership centered on student well-being. DoorDash’s support has helped strengthen resources available to RCC students through the Rox Box, the College’s on-campus food resource, which provides healthy food and other essential items to members of the RCC community experiencing food insecurity.
As RCC continues to grow, partnerships like this demonstrate the impact that colleges, businesses, and community organizations can have when they come together to support students beyond the classroom. Dr. Jefferson said, “we want you to graduate. We want you to transfer if that is your goal. We want you to get the career you are working for. We want you to discover something you did not know you could do. And we want you to know you belong here while doing it.”
RCC thanks DoorDash, Fair Foods, Stop & Shop, and everyone who helped make the celebration a success. We also appreciate the RCC students who came out to enjoy the day and celebrate our community.
