Dr. Curt Oldfield: President of Spoon River College – “Make college a priority; it does not last for forever, but it will make a forever difference in your life.”
I graduated from Farmington High School, and I selected Spoon River College because my SRC Agriculture Professor reached out to me and encouraged me to enroll. He provided personalized advising support. I knew nothing about attending college. It was July before I registered for my first semester of classes. However, I was fortunate to have received career planning advice and it helped me realize early that becoming a Veterinarian was not a good fit for me. As a student, I was willing to ask questions about how my classes would transfer, where to find scholarships, and advocate for myself. It was not easy; there were times I worked 3 part-time jobs at the same time while attending SRC. I could quickly see that completing my Associate’s Degree and then my Bachelor’s Degree was essential to my future success.
SRC is a perfect place for First-Gen students to start their academic journey. SRC faculty and staff are focused on helping students succeed. SRC has faculty who care about teaching and learning, small class sizes, excellent academic advising, flexible course schedules, affordable tuition, and financial and academic support services that all work together to help students succeed. SRC has been successfully preparing students to succeed in their next step since the first graduating class of 1962.
My advice for a first-generation college student is to first, be an educated advocate for yourself. This means asking questions, utilizing resources, having goals you want to accomplish, communicating clearly, participating in student events and student organizations, researching career options, and learning from others. Secondly, attend class. Missing 1 class can lead to a bad habit. Make college a priority; it does not last for forever, but it will make a forever difference in your life. Finally, don’t compare your progress to others. This is your journey, and it is unique to you. Take as many classes as possible, do the work to get the best grades possible. Remember if your results are different than someone else, it is ok, but stay committed to finishing the journey.