Everyone is welcome when Washtenaw Community College once again opens its doors for the bi-annual Free College Day event on Sunday, Sept. 29.
Held each spring and fall since 2014, Free College Day originated as an opportunity for adults in the community to see what’s happening in the college’s classrooms and labs. It has steadily evolved into a popular family event as local teens get a preview of college life and parents expose younger children to the higher education system.
To entertain those younger attendees, WCC is expanding its “Fun For All Ages” area to include carnival games, face painting and free candy, cotton candy and snow cones. Also new this fall is a mobile escape room and an area where kids can test drive a drone.
The core element of Free College Day remains the classes led by the college’s faculty and staff and select community partners. This fall, there more than 30 titles offered, ranging from educational (The Amazing Great Lakes and Their Islands and No Driver Necessary: The Influx of Self-Driving Cars) to college prep-focused (College Financial Aid: Get the Facts and How to Prepare Your Child for College) to first aid-related (Seconds Count! Stop the Bleeding! and Save a Life! Adult CPR and AED Training) and many more.
“We are so pleased with the continued growth and success of Free College Day,” said WCC President Dr. Rose B. Bellanca. “We love opening our doors to the community and letting them know we are an incredible resource here to help them develop their skills and talents and also explore their hobbies.”
A schedule of events:
11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Free College Day Classes
A variety of free classes led by WCC faculty, staff and community partners are offered during two sessions (starting at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.). Registration is required and seating is limited. Register at wccnet.edu/fcd. Class titles:
- Aging Gracefully
- Behind the Scenes: Backstage Pass to the STEM Labs
- Building a Creative Life: Why Music & Art Matter
- College Financial Aid: Get the Facts
- Cool Chemistry and Eat Your DNA, Too!
- Don’t Be Shocked: An Overview of Basic Electricity
- Don’t Drive on Empty!
- Don’t Take It! How to Deal with Workplace Bullying
- Educate and Entertain: The Best Apps for Young Children
- Estate Planning: Keeping Peace and Harmony in the Family
- Frustrated by Fractions? Make Them Your Friend in Ten Words or Less
- Get Smart! Credit Smart!
- Get Your Finances in Shape with a Financial Fitness Workout
- Google It! Get Your Business Online with Google & SBDC
- How to Prepare Your Child for College
- Impeachment and Removal Do Not Fill A Vacancy – They Create A Vacancy
- It’s All About the Connection: Home and Small Business Networking
- It’s All About the Message: Preparing for the Unthinkable
- It’s More than Fortune Cookies: Chinese Food, Customs and Culture
- It’s the Real Deal! Explore the Inside of an Operating Room
- Let’s Hear it for an Encore! Job Search Tips for Seasoned Professionals
- Lifesaving Rockstars: All About Nursing Tour the Nursing Lab
- No Driver Necessary: The Influx of Self-Driving Vehicles
- Save a Life! Adult CPR and AED Training
- Say Cheese! iPhone Photography Processing and Printing Apps
- Seconds Count! Stop the Bleeding!
- Tales of the Paranormal
- The Amazing Great Lakes and Their Islands
- The Magic of Three Dimensions/What is a CNC Machine?
- The Power of Python – and it’s Not a Snake!
- The Sweetness of Sewing
- Walking Through a Wonderland of Trees
- Want to be the Next Shakespeare? A Creative Writing Workshop
- Who Am I? Writing About Gender & Sexuality
11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Open House
The WCC Advanced Technologies, Auto Body, Auto Service, HVAC, Motorcycle Service and Welding labs are all open to the public. Stop by, check them out and ask questions.
11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Fun For All Ages Area
Set up in front of the Student Center on the WCC campus, this mini-carnival will include games, face painting and free candy, cotton candy and snow cones. Take a turn in a mobile escape room, test drive a drone, play a game of life-sized Jenga and visit with our mascot, Alpha.
Additional Information
All events are free and open to the public. Registration is required only for Free College Day classes. Classes are open to all ages, though children 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Food will be available for purchase in the Student Center. Free coffee and donuts will be available at the registration tables. Parking is free. Campus maps and directions can be found at wccnet.edu/about-us/visiting.
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Media contact: Susan Ferraro, 734-677-5295, [email protected]