Miles College Opens Student Success Center in Alabama

Miles College just opened a student success center with a powerful story at its heart.

The Abascal Student Success Center opened March 30 on the campus in Fairfield, Alabama. It brings together academic advising, tutoring, writing support, testing services, and career preparation all under one roof.

The center honors Manuel Abascal, who fled Cuba seeking opportunity and spent his career teaching mathematics at Miles College. He didn't just teach in classrooms. He invested deeply in his students and the community that became his family's foundation.

That legacy continued through Dr. Mike Suco's father, who also left Cuba and found professional purpose at Miles College. Now Dr. Suco, who chairs the college's fundraising campaign as President and CEO of Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, is giving back to the school that shaped his family's story.

"Miles College played a meaningful role in my family's story, and I am honored to support the next generation of students," Dr. Suco said at the dedication ceremony. "This center creates a space where students can access the resources, guidance, and encouragement needed to reach their full potential."

President Bobbie Knight connected the center's purpose to the college's mission. "The Abascal Student Success Center strengthens our ability to support, challenge, and prepare every student for success," she said.

The Ripple Effect

Since 1898, Miles College has created pathways for student success and upward mobility. This new center expands that mission by putting every support service students need in one accessible location.

Students who walk through the doors will find help with everything from choosing classes to preparing for careers. The integrated approach means no student has to navigate their academic journey alone.

The center represents how one family's pursuit of opportunity can create lasting change for thousands of students to come.