On Wednesday, November 6 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., South Central College (SCC) will join the National First-Generation College Celebration. Students from SCC’s TRIO Leadership Council will have a table and display set up outside the college’s Café where they will provide information on being a first-generation college student, distribute “Proud First Generation” buttons and provide opportunities for participants to win prizes.
SCC’s TRIO program serves 140 students each year, two-thirds of whom are first-generation. The support services make a difference in the success of students who may not have thought college was even a possibility for them.
Hailey Morsching, a first-year student at SCC, is part of the TRIO program. She said, “I have been taught everything from enrollment, scholarships, financial aid, homework help, time management, and endless resources to ensure I succeed in my journey through college.” She added, “TRIO has made college a great experience for me, I couldn’t imagine my time as a student without it.”
Ibrahim Ahmed, another first-year SCC student, shared that this celebration “inspires us to keep working toward our goals.”
The first national First-Generation College Celebration Day took place in 2017 when the nonprofit Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) encouraged institutions nationwide on or around November 8 to celebrate first-generation college students. COE selected November 8 to honor the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965. This landmark legislation emerged as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. It ushered in programs, particularly the Federal TRIO programs, which provide specialized support services to underrepresented students, including first-generation.
For more information on the TRIO Student Support Services program at South Central College, visit www.southcentral.edu/TRIO.
