BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Cal State Bakersfield student Anthony May-Ibrahim didn’t know what to do when his financial aid was denied.
"I feel like if it wasn’t for [the] CARE program, I'd probably be back home. I'd probably be at community college, so they helped me a lot," he said.
CARE stands for Caring Advocates and Responsive Engagement Team.
“We provide warp-around services, resources and support to students that are referred to us from faculty, staff or students,” said CARE case manager Jada Cantrell.
Cantrell said they support students whose needs aren’t being met, whether that means food, shelter, finances, or navigating the academic process
"I think it first provides the student with an opportunity to be seen and to be heard," she said. "Some of these challenging circumstances, you don’t always have an opportunity to share them with other people in a place that feels safe and inviting and welcoming, so being able to provide students with that space first and foremost can create a really big impact for them."
Students are usually referred to the program by school staff, although anyone in the community can submit a referral.
Dean of Students Emily Poole Callahan said CARE team members take their work very seriously.
“Having faculty and staff who we know will genuinely care about student success and in their day-to-day work, that they're going outside of [their] duties as assigned to put in the extra time and effort to make sure that the students are connected and have the resources,” she said.
Anthony said he’s grateful for the CARE Team’s support, encouraging other students to take advantage of the resource like he did.
“They really care about you. They really will help you. They can really pull a lot of strings and help you, and even after they help you, they check in. They make sure that you’re doing good," he said.
If you would like to refer a student to the CARE Team, click here.
