Tri-County Technical College supports first-generation students

The following is sponsored content from Tri-County Technical College

ANDERSON, S.C. – Did you know 30% of people who attend Tri-County Technical College are first-generation college students?

Nov. 8 is National First-Generation College Celebration Day. In honor, we spoke with TCTC Director of Student Engagement & Accountability Travis Durham about how the college assists its first-generation college students.

“I’m a first-generation college student. I grew up with a single-parent. I grew up in poverty.” he explained. “I’ve been able to get four college degrees, so I can talk about that experience first-hand. I can talk about how scary it was going into college and not having a parent who can give me that road map and steer me. I’ve been able to do that for my children now because they’re second generation, but I can relate to that fear and that doubt and that imposter syndrome personally.”

Durham explained TCTC’s President Dr. Galen DeHay is also a first-generation college student.

“Our president at the college is a first-generation college student, and he shares his experience with students as well. So, we have a lot of role models here for students to let them know that you can do it and you can be successful.”

TCTC wants its students to be successful, and the staff is dedicated to helping first-generation students in any way possible.

“Any time that you go into any experience, whether it’s college or whatever, and you don’t have a roadmap, it helps to have a mentor. It helps to have support. It helps to have resources, and we want to let our first-gen. students know that we want to serve as that mentor. We want to make sure that you have the resources,” Durham said. “We want to make sure that we remove any barriers to their success here at Tri-County.”

For more information about Tri-County Technical College, click here.