National First-Generation Student Celebration Day is November 8. Spoon River College’s TRIO program, which offers support to first-generation students, will be holding a weeklong celebration November 2-6. Each day, a first-generation student or faculty member will be featured and recognized on the SRC TRIO Facebook and Instagram pages.
All SRC faculty, staff and students are invited to stop by the TRIO Office (C131 or M214) Nov. 4 or Nov. 5 for an individually wrapped treat between 8:30am-4:30pm. Any first-generation student, faculty or staff can also pickup their first-generation sticker to display proudly! Spoon River College defines a first-generation student as an individual whose parents have not completed a four-year college degree.
“It is a great time to pause and recognize our first-generation students, faculty and staff at Spoon River College through the National First-Generation Student Celebration Week,” said Jill Olson, Director of TRIO. “Community colleges are shown to enroll a high number of first-generation students nationwide. As a first-generation student myself, I understand the struggles these students may encounter in navigating college processes and procedures, as they can be difficult for a first-generation student to interpret. The first-generation students I have worked with through the TRIO program are often ambitious and extremely goal-oriented. However, having the extra support services available through our program, allows the student to navigate and overcome barriers in their educational goals.”
TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) is a federally funded program designed to help students overcome social, academic, class, and cultural barriers in higher education. The mission of Spoon River College TRIO SSS is to provide our students with academic support and personal guidance in successfully completing a program of study at the college and additional assistance in transitioning to a four-year college or university.
Spoon River College’s TRIO participants are provided with personalized advising, resources, and additional learning opportunities that enhance their overall college experience and motivate them for success. To learn more about SRC’s TRIO program, visit src.edu/trio. To apply to become a member of SRC TRIO, visit src.edu/trioapp.
This year’s celebration of National First-Generation Students marks the 55th anniversary of the signing of the 1965 Higher Education Act (HEA), which has helped millions of first-generation, low-income/under-resources students persist to degree completion. The 1965 Act made way for low-income, first-generation students to break chain of poverty and become first in their families to earn college degree.
