Students participating in Piedmont Community College’s (PCC) TRIO program, a federally funded outreach initiative, traveled to the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC to spend a day with the Charlotte Hornets. The basketball organization hosted TRIO programs from across the state to learn about college and career opportunities and cheer on the Charlotte Hornets.
TRIO PCC participants from PCC’s Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) and Student Support Services (SSS) programs participated, including high school and community college students from Person, Caswell, Alamance, and Vance counties.
This event gave PCC TRIO students the opportunity to join other high school and community college students across North Carolina for a unique experience. Nikaya Graves stated, “I highly enjoyed it and would love to go back again. The food was amazing, and the NBA game was a terrific experience. It was my first time attending an NBA game.”
The Charlotte Hornets’ TRIO Day event opened with a panel of team executives who shared how they began their career in the professional sport or entertainment field. They offered valuable advice based on their academic and professional journey.
After the panel, students had the opportunity to connect with college admissions representatives from various historically black colleges and universities (HBCU). Students received first-hand guidance on how to navigate the college application process as a high school or prospective transfer student. Participants also had the chance to explore and immerse themselves in the Uptown Charlotte area before returning to the Spectrum Center Arena to cheer on the Hornets who were playing the Brooklyn Nets.
“What I liked the most about TRIO Day was seeing the Charlotte Hornets game with my TRIO group,” shared PCC student Paige Lee.
About TRIO
The Federal TRIO Programs are Federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRIO includes eight programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post baccalaureate programs.
PCC has grant funding for two TRIO programs: Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) and Student Support Services (SSS).
The EOC program provides counseling and information on college admissions to qualified adults interested in entering or continuing a program of postsecondary education. To achieve this mission, EOC counselors assist with preparing applications for use by admissions and financial aid officers. PCC’s EOC program serves eleven counties in North Carolina: Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Orange, Person, Rockingham, Vance, and Warren.
The purpose of SSS is to improve the academic and life skills of our participants through educational opportunities. The PCC TRIO staff facilitates personal enrichment by providing the following services: counseling, academic tutoring, college transfer and financial aid assistance, seminars, cultural enrichment, and equipment loan.
To learn more about TRIO at PCC, visit www.piedmontcc.edu/trio or contact Samantha Aaron, TRIO Director, at samantha.aaron@piedmontcc.edu or (336) 322-2280.
See more photos at www.facebook.com/piedmontcc.
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