The College Place, Located at Virginia Career Works, Provides Free Resources for Students of All Ages to Plan for College
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Dec. 13, 2018) – Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) has opened a college access center in Northern Virginia to help students of all ages prepare for college. ECMC works to lower student loan default rates, sponsors financial literacy programs, sponsors college access and success initiatives, and provides resources to help student loan borrowers successfully repay their loans.
The College Place-Alexandria (TCP-Alexandria), located at the Virginia Career Works Cherokee Avenue Center, provides free information and assistance through in-person, telephone and online support. It also offers presentations and workshops, as well as individual assistance completing applications for college admission, financial aid and scholarships.
“This collaboration with Virginia Career Works provides an excellent opportunity for us to work with families to help them navigate the college planning process while putting students on a path to achieve their educational goals,” said Danny Eckstein, director of TCP-Alexandria. “The location is a central hub in the metro area, close to target high schools and employment centers, which will make it easy for individuals to use our free services.”
Virginia Career Works is administered by SkillSource Group, a nonprofit organization with a mission to serve Northern Virginia employers and job seekers as the fiscal agent on behalf of the Northern Virginia Workforce System.
“The SkillSource Group, Inc. is thrilled to have The College Place and ECMC join our newest workforce site, the Virginia Career Works Cherokee Avenue Center,” said David Hunn, president and CEO of SkillSource Group. “All of our Center Partners are focused on supporting Northern Virginia job seekers find a foothold within our growing local labor market and our thriving regional economy. So many of our local employers are seeking new workers with skills that require education and certifications beyond a high school degree. The supportive staff of The College Place offer new and unbiased college and career counseling that complement our own workforce coaching, and which will certainly support many job seekers in assessing their next step. We look forward to a strong strategic partnership with The College Place for the years ahead.”
Eckstein has been active in the college access, planning and advising space for nearly a decade. He has served in roles including high school college advisor and assistant dean of admission at the University of Virginia, as well as leadership roles with the University of Virginia College Advising Corps and the College Advising Corps national office in Chapel Hill, NC. He received his bachelor’s degree and master of education from the University of Virginia and served as the secretary for the Virginia College Access Network board of directors from 2012-2015.
TCP-Alexandria is one of two ECMC college access centers in Virginia. The College Place-Richmond is located on the Virginia Commonwealth University campus. There are seven ECMC college access centers throughout the country. Other locations include Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Northern California and Oregon.
The TCP-Alexandria office is located at the Virginia Career Works Cherokee Avenue Center, 5520 Cherokee Avenue #100, Alexandra, VA 22312. To set up an appointment or to schedule a presentation, call 434-242-9053 or email [email protected].
Additional Resources in Virginia
ECMC provides additional resources to help Virginia students and their families. The ECMC Scholars Program mentors students and provides scholarships at select high-need high schools to help them graduate and go on to higher education. ECMC also distributes college access and success curricula to support educators and community organizations in reaching underserved populations. Additionally, ECMC sponsors College Nights, college planning events, at multiple sites across Virginia; provides the Financial Awareness Basics (FAB) program; and offers weekly webinars for financial aid administrators and other campus staff. Educators can also order state-specific ECMC Opportunities books to help with college planning, financial aid and more.
To learn more about ECMC’s initiatives, visit ecmc.org/students.
About ECMC
Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) is a nonprofit corporation with a mission to help students succeed. ECMC works to lower student loan default rates; sponsors college access and success initiatives, and financial literacy programs; and provides resources to support student loan borrowers to successfully repay their loans.