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As the largest community college in Mississippi, Hinds Community College serves more than 32,000 students annually across six campuses and online. From traditional students to those working toward high school equivalence, Hinds plays a pivotal role in the state’s educational and economic landscape.
The college is driven by a mission to move people and communities forward—fueling purpose, passion, and professional growth. Through its core IDEALS—Integrity, Diversity, Excellence, Accountability, Leadership, and Stewardship—Hinds strives to be a catalyst for a more competitive economy and a more inclusive, compelling culture in Mississippi.
The student population at Hinds has weathered seismic disruptions—Hurricane Katrina, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing instability of the economy. These events shaped a generation of learners with complex and overlapping needs.
Social workers at Hinds recognized that traditional approaches—addressing one issue at a time—weren’t enough. Students often came seeking help for one issue, only to reveal deeper and intertwined challenges like food insecurity, housing instability, and lack of child care. What was needed was a more integrated, efficient, and compassionate way to connect students with the full spectrum of support they were eligible for.
In 2014, Hinds Community College implemented Single Stop.
Recognizing a shift in its student demographics, an increasing mix of traditional and non-traditional students, Hinds saw Single Stop as a way to meet students where they were. The platform highlighted a growing and unmet need for basic needs support on campus, offering a single-entry point for accessing everything from food assistance to legal aid.
For the college’s social workers, Single Stop was a game-changer. Instead of being limited to addressing a student’s presenting need, the platform enabled them to take a holistic view—connecting students with housing resources, healthcare programs, transportation aid, emergency grants, and more—all in a single session.
Single Stop has had a profound and measurable impact at Hinds.
One standout story involves a student in the college’s Practical Nursing program. A divorced mother of two, she faced imminent foreclosure, utility shutoffs, and childcare challenges—all in the middle of the pandemic. Through Single Stop, she was connected to:
Because Single Stop served as a bridge to critical resources, the student was able to avoid foreclosure, support her children, graduate from nursing school, and successfully launch her career.
Her story is just one example of the ripple effect Single Stop has created—breaking cycles of crisis and paving the way for generational change. As Lakisha Thomas, a Single Stop Coordinator on the campus, puts it, “because we were the bridge to all these resources, she was able to be successful.”
What Hinds has built with Single Stop is more than a referral process, it’s a culture of care. Social workers, faculty, and institutional leaders are now equipped with a powerful tool to ensure that no student slips through the cracks.
