Students in a prior Success First Summer Bridge class learn about turtles during STEM activities.
For many people, choosing to pursue higher education is an important step on the path to a better life, especially for those who are the first in their family to go to college. TMCC’s Success First Summer Bridge Program can help make the transition a little easier by providing students with the important skills necessary to succeed, particularly during that crucial first year of college.
TMCC has recently received four generous contributions that are vital to the success and growth of the program: $50,000 from The NV Energy Foundation, $25,000 from The Wells Fargo Foundation, $10,000 from The Susanne and Gloria Young Foundation and $6,500 from U.S. Bank. These contributions will go a long way toward helping first generation students succeed during their first year of college.
“The Success First Program is an opportunity for students to connect with other students, build relationships with college faculty and learn about resources to help them be successful, all before the beginning of the fall semester," said Yuliana Chavez Camarena, Program Director for Access, Outreach and Recruitment.
Those enrolled in the Program receive success coaching in addition to instruction.
"Students are provided services and support to help them be academically and personally successful," she added. "We are incredibly grateful to the generous donors who allow us to make this happen. Their donations improve the lives of many students who in turn make our community a better place.”
The Success First Program has several goals for students who participate:
- Increase college readiness, persistence, retention and graduation rates
- Give students a jump start in their college careers by providing information about STEM fields
- Provide support services and consistent academic and motivational support during their first year at TMCC
In order to be eligible for Success First, students must apply and be admitted for the summer, be first generation, place in English 98 or higher and Math 96 or Math 126, and submit their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which can demonstrate financial need. Students are required to attend the six-week program in July and August, meet with a success coach twice a semester to review their progress and maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA. Upon successful completion of the program, they receive an $800 scholarship.
“For the last several years, U.S. Bank has been pleased to support TMCC and the TMCC Foundation," said Rod Sanford, Managing Director with The Private Client Group of U.S. Bank and TMCC board member. "We’ve seen so many positive results come out of the excellent programs they do there, and Success First is just one great example of how faculty and staff are helping students succeed and achieve their goals. We look forward to seeing all the excellent things they’ll achieve in 2017.”
For more information about the program, visit Success First. For more information about the grant, please contact the TMCC Foundation at 775-673-7127.