Participants in Seminole State College’s GEAR UP summer camp pose for a group photo outside the Enoch Kelly Haney Center. More than 160 students from 12 area schools attended the two-week event, which included campus tours, STEM lessons, recreational activities and college-readiness workshops.
Seminole State College’s Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) welcomed more than 160 students from 12 partner schools to campus this summer for two weeks of educational camps. The events were designed to provide sixth and seventh grade students with a glimpse into college life while building STEM skills and promoting academic success.
Students from Asher, Maud, Wewoka, Seminole, Varnum, Strother, Konawa, Okemah, Tecumseh, Wetumka, Holdenville and Moss participated in the camps, which offered a mix of campus tours, hands-on lessons and recreational activities.
SSC Upward Bound students pose for a photo inside the Dallas Cowboys locker room at AT&T Stadium during their “Big Trip” to Dallas. The group toured the stadium as part of a week filled with college visits and cultural experiences.
Seminole State College’s Upward Bound federal grant program hosted a series of summer camps and trips for nearly 160 area high school students, offering academic enrichment, college readiness and cultural experiences.
Approximately 125 students who recently completed their 9th through 11th grade years participated in a residential camp on the SSC campus from May 27 to June 26. These students attend 20 partnering high schools, including Bowlegs, Butner, Earlsboro, Holdenville, Graham-Dustin, Macomb, Maud, New Lima, Okemah, Paden, Seminole, Shawnee, Strother, Stroud, Tecumseh, Varnum, Weleetka, Wetumka and Wewoka.
Seminole State College Assistant Professor of STEM Dr. Deanna Miles (left) and Associate Professor of English Yasminda Choate (right) presented at the 48th Annual AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability) Conference in Denver, Colorado, July 14-18. They shared SSC’s efforts to ensure all courses and programs are accessibly designed for all learners. Hundreds from across the nation attended the conference. Also pictured is NASNTI Computer Science Specialist Alecia Bailey (center).
Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions Computer Science Specialist Alecia Bailey (left) and NASNTI Student Success Specialist Ben Little attended the AHEAD conference to explore assistive technologies and accommodations in higher education. A component of SSC’s NASNTI federal grant program is to bolster accessibility across campus.
Ben Little (left), Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Student Success Specialist, and Alecia Bailey (right), NASNTI Computer Science Specialist at Seminole State College, attend the 1st annual Ready Inspire Conference hosted by Ready Education in Orlando, Fla., July 7-9. The conference brought together higher education professionals from across the U.S. and internationally to network, share best practices and explore strategies for improving student engagement. SSC utilizes the Ready Education platform for its mobile app. The NASNTI program at SSC is 100 percent federally funded, receiving $450,000 annually.
Seminole State College Student Support Services and STEM SSS Director Janna Wilson-Byrd speaks before a crowd at fall 2024’s new student orientation event. The U.S. Department of Education recently awarded the college with an SSS grant totaling $1,532,570 and a STEM SSS grant at the amount of $1,351,820.
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Seminole State College two federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grants. The first is a traditional SSS grant totaling $1,532,570, and the second is a STEM SSS grant totaling $1,361,820. Both grants are for a five-year period and are designed to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities.
Through services including academic tutoring, financial aid, scholarship guidance, career exploration, counseling and mentoring, TRIO SSS helps students overcome barriers to success and graduate or transfer with minimal debt.
Danielle Boyer, citizen of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of the Chippewa, speaks at the Jeff Johnston Fine Arts Auditorium on June 16. Her presentation, titled “Opportunities Through STEM,” highlighted her work in youth robotics and efforts to preserve Indigenous languages. The event was hosted by the Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions federal grant program. The program is 100 percent federally funded in the amount of $450,000 annually.
A rendering of Seminole State College’s future Esports Lab, with construction set to be complete in winter 2025. The facility will support the college’s new esports program with courses launching in Fall 2025.
Seminole State College will launch a new esports program in Fall 2025, combining competitive gaming with academic coursework designed to support career pathways in esports and digital media.
Scholarship opportunities will be available to students who join the Esports team. These scholarships aim to support students dedicated to both academic achievement and the evolving field of competitive gaming.
On May 3, Seminole State College Talent Search/FOCUS students and staff gathered for dinner before attending the Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical “& Juliet” at the OKC Civic Center. The show offers a reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic, asking what would happen if Juliet chose her own fate after Romeo’s death—set to a soundtrack of pop hits by Max Martin. Pictured (left to right): Tecumseh High School student Anna Harvey, Shawnee High School students Bristel Tipton, Destini Richards and Manuela Parada. The Talent Search Central and West Projects are 100% federally funded in the amounts of $388,326 and $277,375 annually. For more information, visit sscok.edu/sponsored-grant-programs/talent-search or call (405) 382-9709.
Seminole State College’s Upward Bound program recently launched the UB Cleans initiative, providing students with the opportunity to give back to their community. Participants volunteer alongside the Seminole Arts Council, cleaning various locations around Seminole. Senior students meet every Thursday after school to help beautify the community while working toward their volunteer goals for their Bridge Trip this summer. Upward Bound is 100% federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Pictured (L to R): Upward Bound Coordinator Anna Skender, Upward Bound students Sosie Tucker, Marissa Massey, Jace Fitzgerald and Noah Higgins.
Seminole State College students and Student Support Services/SSS STEM staff pose for a group photo at center court in the Paycom Center during the Thunder Stir career fair on Feb. 24.
Several Seminole State College students attended Thunder Stir on Feb. 24, a career fair hosted by the Oklahoma City Thunder. The event provided students with opportunities to network, submit résumés to potential employers and explore university transfer options.
Throughout the afternoon, professionals from the Thunder organization led career-focused workshops on résumé writing, interview techniques, networking and personal brand development. As part of the experience, students were also invited to attend the Thunder vs. Timberwolves game that evening.
Student Support Services (SSS) and STEM Student Support Services (STEM SSS) sponsored and accompanied the students on the trip.
“The purpose of the event was to expose students to a professional environment and introduce them to diverse career opportunities,” SSS/STEM SSS Director Janna Wilson-Byrd said. “Many of our students are unaware of the wide range of careers available in business, engineering, health sciences, computer science and even professional sports. This experience helped them understand how their skills can transfer across industries.”
Kaitlyn Treat, a freshman psychology major, reflected on her experience.
“I learned more about my major and how to plan for my future,” Treat said. “Personal branding, especially online, is really important. This event helped me step out of my comfort zone and meet people with similar interests.”
The Seminole State College SSS Project is 100% federally funded at $306,514 annually while the STEM SSS Project receives $272,364 in federal funding each year. Both programs provide support for first-generation, economically disadvantaged and disabled students.
For more information, contact Janna Wilson-Byrd, Director of SSS/STEM SSS, at (405) 382-9642 or visit the SSC website at sscok.edu.
