Several TRIO Y.E.S. Student Support Services students were honored at the Western Nebraska Community College Scottsbluff Campus Awards Ceremony held April 25.
Dylan Bairn, of Scottsbluff, was named Resident Hall Assistant of the Year for Pioneer Hall. Dylan is a graduating sophomore with a major in criminal justice who plans to transfer to Chadron State College in the fall. Taylor Severyn, a Mitchell native, was awarded as an Outstanding Student Ambassador. Taylor is an education major who is also studying to become an Emergency Medical Technician. Rebecca Torres, of Scottsbluff, was awarded LPN Student of the Year. She will graduate this month with her Practical Nursing diploma. Bairn, Severyn, and Torres are all alumni of WNCC's TRIO Upward Bound program.
Danielle Vesper was awarded the Social Sciences Division Outstanding Student. She was also awarded a medal for being chosen as an All USA Academic Team Member. She is a human services major who plans transfer for completion of bachelor's and master's degrees. Rachel Griner, of Scottsbluff, was awarded Outstanding Kappan of the Year by the PTK honor society and also received the Presidential Award. She is a pre-professional nursing major who will graduate this month and plans transfer to the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) School of Nursing in Scottsbluff. Dallas Schnell of Bridgeport was awarded the Non-Traditional Student of the Year and the Vice-President of Administrative Services honor. She is a psychology major on track to graduate in December 2013.
Supplemental Instruction Leaders of the Year were awarded to Brianne Mize for algebra and Teresa Thomas for sociology. The SI program provides peer assisted study sessions at WNCC and is overseen by the TRIO Y.E.S. program. Mize is an education major who will graduate this May and plans to transfer for a bachelor's degree. Thomas is a WNCC graduate who has been accepted by the UNMC Bachelor of Science Nursing program in Scottsbluff.
Finally, TRIO Y.E.S. SSS awarded the TRIO Touchstone Award to Connie Dietrich, of Mitchell. She was honored for her work as an American Sign Language interpreter for a hearing-impaired TRIO student. Her certificate recognized her willingness to "always go the extra mile with excellence in spirit and generosity."
TRIO programs are federally-funded academic support programs to assist first generation, limited income or disabled students with completion of a college degree. The Y.E.S. program provides advising, financial aid and scholarship assistance, financial literacy instruction, study skill workshops, SI, and many other services to students. The goal of the program is to retain, graduate, and/or transfer students to encourage completion of higher education goals.