Voorhees to celebrate First Gen Day during homecoming week
By: Voorhes University
Denmark, S.C. – Voorhees University will observe the Third Annual First-Generation College Student Celebration Nov. 8 from 1 to 4 p.m. in The Grove. The celebration is in recognition of the TRIO Student Support Services Program, which promotes student success for first-generation college students.
During the event, there will be a showcase of services and resources available to first-generation students. There will be a short program with remarks from the president, provost, and other campus officials as well as TRIO alums hosted by Mister and Miss Voorhees University, Xavier Willcox and Keyana Yeoman who are TRIO members. More than 181 TRIO members will be in attendance.
“The majority of our members were either recommended, referred, self-referred and/or parents/relatives were members of TRIO programs at Voorhees,” said Lynda Jefferson, director of TRIO Student Support Services.
“We aim to help our students complete basic college requirements, create opportunities for academic development and help motivate them to graduate,” said Jefferson. “TRIO programs are important and necessary because they help students from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed in school and gain access to academic and financial assistance.”
The National First-Generation College Celebration also known as First Gen Day, takes place annually on Nov. 8 in observance of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965, 57 years ago. The Center for First-Generation Student Success, the National Association of Student Affairs Professionals, the Council for Opportunity in Education and colleges/universities across the nation celebrate this occasion.
The TRIO Student Support Services program is one of eight federally funded TRIO programs, in different fields and levels of education, developed to help disadvantaged (first-generation, low-income and/or disabled) students navigate life successfully while pursuing higher education.
More than 13 Voorhees University faculty and staff have participated in TRIO programs. Some celebrities who have participated in the programs include Cardi B, rapper and songwriter, Oprah Winfrey, talk show host and entrepreneur, and actress Angela Bassett who participated in Upward Bound; actress Viola Davis, who participated in Upward Bound and Student Support Services; and Bernard Harris, the first African American astronaut, who participated in the Ronald E. McNair Scholars program.
A high-resolution of the TRIO logo is available at https://tinyurl.com/ympz6emp.
