Wallace State Talent Search celebrates college access

HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Students and graduates from the Wallace State Talent Search Program will participate in the 2021 National TRIO Day of Service on Feb. 27, 2021, to express appreciation to the community for its support of the TRIO programs. For millions of students from low-income families who strive to be the first in their families to attend and graduate from college, seven federally funded programs called TRIO are making a world of difference.

Unlike student financial aid programs which help students overcome financial barriers to higher education, the TRIO programs have been providing valuable supportive services to students from low-income and working families to successfully enter college and graduate for over 50 years.

The Wallace State Talent Search Program has served the Greater Cullman Area since 1988. It serves 875 students each year from 15 high schools in Blount, Cullman, Marshall, and Morgan Counties. Current Wallace State Student Ashley Perez, a 2020 Talent Search Graduate from Good Hope, said of the program: “Being in the WSCC Talent Search Program made the transition from high school to college seamless. Having someone at your school each week dedicated specifically to making sure you have everything needed for college made it a lot less stressful.”

TRIO services include: assistance in choosing a college; tutoring; personal and financial counseling; career counseling; assistance in applying to college; workplace and college visits; special instruction in reading, writing, study skills, and mathematics; assistance in applying for financial aid; scholarship search; and academic support in high school or assistance to re-enter high school.

Wallace State also offers the TRIO Student Support Services program, which serves first generation college students while enrolled at Wallace State.  That program provides free individualized advising, tutoring, access to the SSS computer lab, transfer advising workshops, scholarships, cultural and social events, college visits, career planning, and more. TRIO-SSS is currently accepting applicants.

Today more than 1,000 colleges, universities, and community agencies host more than 2,800 TRIO projects that serve more than 800,000 young people and adults. TRIO serves students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Currently, 34% of TRIO students are White, 33% are African-American, 21% are Hispanic, 4% are Asian-American or Pacific Islander, 4% are American Indian, and 1% are listed as “other,” including multiracial students.

For more information on WSCC Talent Search or Student Support Services and how to join, please contact Shiela Mosley at 256-352-8230.

 

Story by:  Dakota Nichols, WSCC Talent Search