Jackie VanBrunt’s Student Affairs report reveals that EdSights’ "Bernie" chatbot data for March 2026 show financial concerns—encompassing food insecurity, tuition payments, transportation, and housing instability—as the top risk factor (44%) among students, surpassing academic concerns. The college is responding by leveraging its Student Emergency Fund and food‑security initiatives led by staff such as Ang Brice, and the board discussed the scale of basic‑needs challenges and available scholarships and emergency resources. This indicates an ongoing operational need to connect real‑time risk data with flexible emergency aid, food‑pantry operations, transportation assistance, and housing supports., campus pantries, micro‑markets, meal‑share apps), and transportation partnerships could help NCCC streamline how chatbot alerts translate into targeted, auditable aid and services, especially as financial risk remains the leading threat to retention for a third of their largely first‑generation student body.

Approximately one‑third of NCCC students are first‑generation, and leadership explicitly connects basic‑needs supports to retention and student success.