This content was published: September 16, 2021. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
PCC, Comcast hand out 250 Dell Chromebook to students
Photos and Story by Celina Baguiao
Tin Lee receives his Dell Chromebook from Comcast VP of External Affairs Marion Haynes.
Portland Community College, in partnership with Comcast, hosted a small, socially distanced event on Thursday (Sept. 16) morning to provide Dell Chromebooks to PCC students. The event celebrated Comcast’s 10-year anniversary of its Internet Essentials Program, which offers low-cost, high-speed internet for low‑income households.
In recognition of 10 years of the Comcast Internet Essentials program, the organization provided 250 Dell Chromebooks to PCC students, including those who were named recipients of the PCC Foundation’s Bridges to the Future Scholarship.
“Comcast has been a wonderful supporter of our students during the years and especially during the pandemic,” said Christina Kline, who is the interim PCC Foundation executive director. “They have continually stepped up to help our students, with a focus on supporting historically excluded or underrepresented students in higher education, and the College is very grateful for its support.”
The Internet Essentials Program provides low-cost, high-speed internet for low‑income households, which now includes federal Pell Grant recipients, laptops for under $150, and access to free digital literacy content. In 10 years, Internet Essentials has helped to connect a total of more than 10 million Americans to education opportunities, job skills training and healthcare resources.
When the pandemic started in March 2020, PCC partnered with Comcast’s Internet Essentials, and the PCC Foundation helped cover the cost of affordable internet service for its students.
“Comcast and Portland Community College saw an opportunity to help serve an underserved population in celebration of our 10-year-old Internet Essentials program,” Comcast Vice President of External Affairs Marion Haynes said. “With the move to remote learning, it made sense for Comcast to help remove barriers for those who are trying to better themselves through education. Of course, it’s only a small part of helping those in school succeed, but Comcast was happy to do what we could.”
Along with picking up a Dell computer, students also had the opportunity to pick up free food from the Panther Pantry and take candid shots in the photo booth. While most of the computers were mailed out to students, some chose to pick them up in person at the Cascade event on Thursday and Friday at the Rock Creek Campus.
About Celina Baguiao
A Los Angeles native, Baguiao joined Portland Community College in 2016 as the Community Relations Manager at the Sylvania Campus. Spending her entire career in higher education, she has a background in public relations, athletics and event... more »
I read the note it said that students are given free laptops and I’m interested in receiving one too, please.
I haven’t been to school since the nineteen hundreds and am excited to attend Pcc. However I don’t really know about resources and am in dire need of a laptop. Any help would be appreciated. Peace and God Bless
Can you let me know if it’s not too late to pick one up cause I need one….. thank you
I was wondering about the free tablet I really need one for college in the winter
Please let me 971-393-6362
Is it too late to sign up for a discounted laptop?
Is it to late for the free laptop? I am taking online classes and don’t have a computer or laptop. Please let me know
For inquiries on free laptops, please email pccfoundation@pcc.edu.
For those of you who are not eligible for the free laptop there is an organization, FreeGeek, here in Portland that also provides low cost computers so that you can do your school work, looking for work, etc…
I need a computer, i don’t have a computer I do my classes with my old cellphone and it’s very hard. How can I apply to get a computer?
Hi I’m interested in getting one if it’s not too late, I also take my classes with an old phone, and it is very hard to do video calls and work in it at the same time. It doesn’t have to be new as long as it works it’s a blessing
thank you!
Hello,
My name is Brunelle Seraya. I’m taking ESL classes and I need a computer please.
I would like a free lap top my current one is not working right lots of technical difficulties when will this event happen again? and how do you notify students??? Thank you
How can I apply for a chrome book?
I am in need of a laptop for school somone stole my computer this summer from me so i dropped out of school but was able to pay my loans off and i am trying again although i start on Jan 10th and i dont have a laptop to start with i would even be interested in a tablet or returning it once i recieved my fasfa and purchased my own in feb but i need one in jan