I work with TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). SSS is a federally funded program created to promote educational access for those who have been traditionally underrepresented in higher education. We specifically serve students who are first-generation, economically disadvantaged, or living with disabilities. Eighty-five percent of our SSS participants this year were first-generation college students.
SSS provides a range of services and programming designed to help our students persist from year to year, stay in good academic standing, and graduate on time. Our core services include holistic advising, one-on-one tutoring, academic skill development, financial wellbeing training, and career and cultural exploration. This past school year, we were thrilled to be able to enhance our career and cultural exploration components with trips to Washington, D.C. and Orlando, Florida.
Washington, D.C.
Each August, we offer a free early move-in Summer Link program to welcome new students to our program, build community, and connect them with resources across campus. The 2021 Summer Link program culminated with a weekend trip to Washington, D.C., which 14 students attended. The trip included tours of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Mall, and Howard University.
One of the first-generation students on the trip, Florence, noted the “staggering” impact the museum visit had on her and the important conversations she had with fellow students following the visit. “I had a wonderful chance to speak with a few of the people in my group about different viewpoints based on what we’d seen. The people I spoke with were able to give me their perspectives on current trends and I learned things I had never thought of,” Florence said.
Florence was originally drawn to sign up for the trip by a desire to connect with other students after transferring to BGSU and not knowing anyone on campus. She began making these connections in Washington, D.C, and when the opportunity for another trip with SSS came in the spring, Florence jumped at the chance, eager to continue building relationships with other students.
SSS helped me on getting an idea of how diverse college would be, meeting students from different cultures and backgrounds. Also making some early friends to get through every semester with enjoyment.
Spring Break in Florida
For spring break 2022, we offered our students the opportunity to travel to Orlando, Florida, where we spent three days visiting Universal Studios theme parks and one day at the Kennedy Space Center. For the 35 students in attendance, each morning at Universal Studios included several hours of workshops focused on career development and marketing, plus a behind-the-scenes tour of Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park. Our afternoons were spent enjoying the rides, food, and entertainment in the parks, while spending time together.
The career workshop at Universal Studios allowed students to consider the many career opportunities at the parks. Keenan, a first-generation student who went on the trip, noted that he was impressed by the variety of positions and “that almost every major can work there.” This was reiterated by Florence, who said, “I was excited to hear about how my career field could work with a theme/amusement park [and] it was awesome hearing about how some of the other majors would be able to use their degrees by thinking outside the box.”
_insertContent=C00B4EC3-D605-476A-8027DE733243BCDF,displayTeaserInlinePromoRight_The Orlando trip was “a dream come true" for Florence, a former foster child who was adopted as a teenager: "Money was always tight, and vacations were never more than day trips. A week in Orlando, let alone Universal Studios, was something I never thought I would get to do.” In addition to having an experience she never thought she would have, Florence was able to deepen her connections with other TRIO students as well as our staff.
Keenan also noted that part of his decision to attend the Florida trip was a desire to “reunite with TRIO students and learn more about our new staff members.” As one of the new staff members on the trip, I can attest to the strong interpersonal bonds developed between both students and staff during this trip.
Looking to the Future
The interpersonal connections, expanded viewpoints, and new opportunities that first-generation students gain through trips like these have lasting impacts on their personal and professional lives. They are also central to the holistic approach that SSS uses to support our students’ development and progress toward their goals.
When considering how SSS has helped him as a first-generation student, Keenan stated that SSS “helped me on getting an idea of how diverse college would be, meeting students from different cultures and backgrounds. Also making some early friends to get through every semester with enjoyment.” These relationships contribute to our students’ sense of belonging and help them create connections that support their persistence in reaching their academic goals.
SSS program staff at BGSU look forward to continuing to offer our students experiences like these to expand their cultural understanding, explore their career options, and make lasting connections with other members of our campus community.
For more information on Bowling Green State University’s approach, please visit their website here.
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