Tallahassee Community College's Summer Scholar Program gives incoming freshmen a head start
Tallahassee Community College’s Summer Scholar Program will give incoming first-year students the chance to jumpstart their college careers.
The program takes place during TCC's June Express Session, which is June 27 to Aug. 9. It is open to high-school graduates from Leon, Gadsden and Wakulla counties, who will be attending the college in the fall as freshmen.
TCC's fall 2020 enrollment of first-year students was 3,301, compared to its fall 2021 enrollment of 3,140, according to spokesperson Amanda Clements.
The summer program began in 2020 to help students who felt disconnected during the COVID-19 pandemic as they started the summer semester by giving them a personalized experience, although it was a virtual one. While it was held both in person and virtually last year, it will only be available to participants in person this year.
“I am looking forward to some very highly engaged, eager to learn and teachable students that are ready to be a part of the TCC community and that are able to lead, learn and grow,” program coordinator Brielle Crooms said.
Students will take two courses for a total of six credit hours. They will receive a scholarship that covers the cost of the credits along with a textbook stipend for the specific courses.
Class schedules are determined by whether a student comes in with college credits earned while in high school.
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Participants will also be able to participate in other TCC programs, including community service, weekly enrichment sessions and mentorship opportunities.
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“One of the most valuable parts of the Summer Scholar Program is the opportunity to pair with an on-campus mentor and meet weekly,” Sarah Toole, a past participant, said in a prepared statement.
“Having a mentor changed my life immediately, as she routinely checked in on how I was doing and connected me with job and internship opportunities on-campus and around Tallahassee," Toole said.
The program’s mentors are made up of TCC faculty who are paired with students according to subject area and similar career interests.
“I meet with my student every week and we schedule a half hour to talk about life goals,” said Angela Long, a co-founder and mentor of the program. “It's not just a time to talk about their goals, but we're building relationships.”
Applications for the Summer Scholar Program close on Friday, June 3 at 11:59 p.m. Here are the requirements students must meet to be considered:
Be a high school graduate from Leon County, Gadsden County or Wakulla County
Have a 3.0 or higher cumulative unweighted high school GPA or college level ACT/SAT scores (ACT score: 25; SAT score: 1200)
Complete a TCC admissions application
Complete the 2022-2023 FAFSA form
Complete the Summer Scholar Program application
More details available at https://www.tcc.fl.edu/about/college/provost/summer-scholar-program/
Contact Tarah Jean at tjean@tallahassee.com or follow her on twitter @tarahjean_.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: TCC Summer Scholar Program opens applications to incoming freshmen
