Photo by Jill Funk
Grace Williams, Social Media & Business Manager
On February 12th, 2014, students who are a part of Southern Nazarene University’s TRiO programs: McNair Scholars and L.I.F.E., Student Support Services (SSS) went to TRiO Day at the Oklahoma State Capitol. TRiO day unites students from universities across Oklahoma. SNU’s Brendon Weaver opened the day by singing the National Anthem.
Photo by Jill Funk
The day was spent listening to prominent speakers from Oklahoma higher educational institutions who discussed the importance of the TRiO programs. TRiO serves 24,982 students in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma higher education retention rate of Student Support Services is 83.5%.
Jakayla Porter, SNU business major, said, “There were a lot more people involved in TRiO than I had thought, and as a united front, we can make a difference. I also gained the knowledge that many people had come from much worse off places than me and had succeeded beyond anything they could have planned for, and it was awesome to hear. This experience pushes me to work harder and do better so I can succeed!”
“I gained a confidence to continue on and not let anything stand in the way of me becoming what I want. I gained the knowledge of skills that I must have to be productive in my college life,” said Sam Carter, SNU Elementary Education major.
The day concluded with the first annual TRiO Works Walk. Students were given flags upon exiting the capitol building and walked across the lawn to plant the flags in front of the capitol as a visible reminder of the impact that TRiO programs have on students in our state.
SNU’s L.I.F.E. Student Support Services program and McNair Scholars program serve 186 students each year through grant awards from the U.S. Department of Education.
