Students win awards; college receives funding

  POPLARVILLE – Students and staff in the Summer Bridge to College program at Pearl River Community College celebrated Thursday, July 23, with awards and a steak and shrimp luncheon.
  The program, part of PRCC’s Student Support Services, gives incoming freshmen a headstart with four weeks of intensive class work to earn nine hours of credit, said Dr. Robert Escudero, Student Support Services director.
  “We’re not only celebrating your success but our success as well,” he said.
  Awards went to Ranada James of Carriere, Outstanding Student; Cory Guidry of Picayune, math; Tiara Warren, college survival skills; and William Washington, English.
  The recognition luncheon came about a week after Escudero was notified that PRCC’s funding for Student Support Services had been approved by the U.S. Department of Education for five years.
  “It provides academic support for our students – success coaching, advisement and tutoring,” Escudero said. “It was a very competitive competition. Our funding depends on our success.”
  PRCC received $313,316, about 90 percent of the program’s five-year cost. PRCC provides the remaining 10 percent in institutional support.
  Student Support Services provides tutoring in reading, writing, math and science to students who are low-income, disabled or whose parents do not have four-year college degrees.
  “All of us have said this has been our best class ever,” said Georgia Field, academic success coach and assistant director of the program.
  In addition to the award recipients, students who completed the summer program are Najee Dillon, Shantavis Hughes, Tomias Rhodes, Justin Terrell and Jessica Wilson, all of Hattiesburg; Jaylin Chambliss and Shelanita Starks, both of Slidell, La.; Takerri Cooks of Quitman, Kelentra Gandy of Waynesboro, Keron Joseph of Lumberton, Harmon Perkins of Picayune and Victoria York of Mobile, Ala.


Summer Bridge to College award winners at Pearl River Community College are, from left, William Washington of Hattiesburg, English; Ranada James of Carriere, Outstanding Student; Tiara Warren of Slidell, La., college survival skills; and Cory Guidry of Picayune, math.
PRCC Public Relations photo
   

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