Two Western Nebraska Community College students received the opportunity of a lifetime when they were among the 130 chosen to participate in First Lady Michelle Obama's Beating the Odds Summit at the White House on July 23.
Mercedes Robinson and Dayja Venable were part of a group of students, sponsored by
70 non-profit organizations, to represent a mix of urban, rural, foster, homeless,
special needs, and under-represented youth who have overcome substantial obstacles
to graduate high school and attend college.
"Not a whole lot of people get the opportunity to meet the First Lady or even get
to walk into the White House and here I am at 18 years old doing both," said Venable.
"This was great news this summer when I found out that I was not only nominated but
chosen to have this opportunity. Knowing that out of the whole nation I am one of
130 people who got to go makes me realize that I stood out and someone saw how hard
and driven I can be."
Robinson, who said she was most excited about meeting the First Lady because it was
"another achievement that I can be proud of," was humbled by the opportunity. "I feel
honored that many people have not had this opportunity and I have been granted it,"
she said.
Both girls are part of WNCC's TRIO Programs, U.S. Department of Education programs
designed to help low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals
with disabilities progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post-baccalaureate
programs. More specifically, the TRIO Upward Bound program focuses on helping qualified
high school students improve their academic achievement in high school and prepare
for higher education.
"Dayja and Mercedes are wonderful examples of TRIO students," said WNCC Upward Bound
Assistant Director Nan Cushing. "They are very active in our program. They are leaders
in every sense of the word. They are dedicated to their pursuits of postsecondary
education. Dayja graduated from Mitchell High School and plans to pursue a degree
in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Art. She has been a part of the Upward
Bound program since September, 2012. She is very active in her community and is one
of the first students to volunteer for any community service project."
"Mercedes graduated from Gering High School and plans to pursue her degree in Early
Childhood Education. She has been a member of Upward Bound since June, 2011. She has
served on our Planning Committee Board for several years and has been instrumental
in organizing many UB activities."
The summit focused on sharing tools and strategies students can use to successfully
transition to college, as well explaining resources available to ensure they are successful
in their pursuit. It was moderated by E! News host Terrence Jenkins and featured the First Lady, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne
Duncan, musical artist Wale, and Manuel Contreras, a senior at Brown University and
co-founder of 1vyG, the Inter-Ivy, First-Generation College Student Network. In addition,
President Obama made a surprise appearance. Students also participated in workshops
and panels led by the U.S. Department of Education, Google's Jaime Casap and other
leaders in K-12 and post-secondary education.
The Beating the Odds Summit is part of Michelle Obama's Reach Higher initiative, which aims to inspire every
student in America to take charge of their future by completing their education past
high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a
four-year college or university.
For more information about WNCC's TRIO Programs, please contact Ce Merrigan, TRIO
Programs Director at 308.635.6091 or merrigan@wncc.edu.