The TRiO Times Student Support Services Fall 2008 Volume 5, Issue 2 Mott Community College Learning Center - TRiO-SSS 1401 East Court Street Flint, MI 48503 www.mcc.edu/learning/lc_trio.shtml Inside this issue: What's New for 08/09.........2 Upcoming Events..............3 Reminders....................3 Grad/Reward Trip to Orlando..3 Technology Workshop..........4 Welcome Back! Welcome to Fall semester 2008! We hope you had a great summer and are ready to participate in a full 08/09 TRiO-SSS year! Just a reminder of the FREE services available to you as a SSS member: - Professional Tutoring - offered for English, math, biology, and the social sciences - Academic Support Workshops - covering subjects such as resume writing, note taking, test anxiety, and study skills - The TRiO-SSS Grant - free money for school! Qualifications apply; ask your coordinators for details - Cultural Enrichment Activities - come explore with us! Past activities have included musicals, plays, museums, and sporting events - University Visits - trips to various four-year universities around the state of Michigan - Assistance with Transferring, Awards and Recognition, and Student Success Publications - Laptop Loan Program - available only to SSS members Feel free to stop by any time to talk with an SSS Coordinator to discuss any and all of your support service options. Remember, all the services we offer are FREE and can only be of benefit to you. We look forward to working with you this year! “Many of life's failures are people who had not realized how close they were to success when they gave up.” -Thomas A. Edison 1847-1931 American Inventor & Businessman Reminders ---------------------------------------- PAGE 2 What's New for 08/09? New Participation Points Scale Participating in the following SSS activities will now be worth more points! Academic Support Workshops.............250 points University Visits......................250 points Cultural Enrichment Activities.........100 points Coordinator Chat........................50 points Professional Tutoring...................30 points per session attended (Attending 10 or more sessions in a semester will earn an additional 50 points) Regular Coordinator Visit...............10 points (Maximum 30 points earned per week) Start earning those points for SSS Reward Items and the year-end Graduate and Reward trips! SSS Welcomes Two New Staff Members The SSS program is happy to announce the hiring of two new temporary staff members, administrative assistant Sheri Burton and Melissa Henderson, TRiO-SSS coordinator! During the next six months, SSS coordinator Ellen McGowan will be Interim Director of the Learning Center. Melissa Henderson will be substituting for Ellen during this time and will be the second coordinator along with Sara Butka. Please take a few minutes when visiting the Learning Center to introduce yourself and welcome the new staff members to our SSS team! Refer a Friend to SSS! Refer a friend to SSS and earn 50 points per student when they are accepted into the program! (A maximum of 250 points may be earned through this promotion.) SSS Grant GPA Requirement Change Effective for the 08/09 academic year, the minimum GPA requirement to be considered for the SSS Grant has been raised to 2.5. To be eligible to apply for the SSS Grant, students must: - Be receiving a Federal Pell Grant - Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 - Carry a minimum of 12 credits per fall and winter semesters (4 credits spring semester) - Be an active participant in the SSS program - Abide by the SSS Participation Agreement If you have any questions regarding SSS Grant guidelines, please see one of the SSS Coordinators. New Reward Items SSS members now have two more options when redeeming Participation Points! We have added a traveling office, worth 70 points, and an insulated lunch cooler, worth 80 points. The traveling office contains paper, a pen, ruler, pencil, eraser, stapler, staple pull, tape, scissors, a highlighter, tape measure, rubber bands, and paper clips. -------------------------------------------- PAGE 3 Upcoming Events . . . Detroit Lions VS. Chicago Bears Join us on Sunday, October 5th at Ford Field as the Detroit Lions take on the Chicago Bears! We will meet in front of the Prahl building at 10:30 am; game time is 1:00 pm Earn 100 points for attending this cultural activity LIMITED SEATS! Reserve your seat by Friday, September 26 - Call 232 4696 Reminders STUDENT PLANNERS 08-09 Student Planners are available to registered SSS members. Stop in and pick up your free planner from your Coordinators today! PARTICIPATION POINTS As of September 1st, all Participation Points that were earned for the 07/08 year have been erased. Start earning your 08/09 Participation Points now for TRiO-SSS gear and the year end Graduate & Reward Trips! A'S AND B'S JAR Did you receive an A or a B on a test, quiz, paper, or homework assignment? Bring it in and show a SSS Coordinator and your name will be entered into the monthly A's and B's Jar drawing! During the fall and winter semesters we will pull one winner from the jar each month. Prizes will vary from a variety of $20 gift cards from gas cards to groceries. The more A's and B's you get, the more chances you have to win. Good luck! MANDATORY - Student Orientation and Welcome Back Bash For all new and returning SSS members! Friday, October 3rd Orientation from 12:00 - 1:00 pm Fun stuff from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm MCC Event Center We will review SSS services and participation guidelines, then have some fun with complimentary manicures, in-chair back massages, lunch, and a Guitar Hero challenge! Earn 100 points for coming; lose 100 if you don't! Saginaw Valley State University University Tour Friday, October 17th 8:30 am - 1:00 pm Earn 250 points for attending this tour RSVP REQUIRED 810 232 4696 by October 10th 2007-2008 Graduate & Reward Trip to Orlando, FL SSS grads and reward students received an opportunity of a lifetime when they attended the all-expenses paid SSS Graduate and Reward Trip to Orlando in May. Students spent two days at Universal Studios and Universal Studios Islands of Adventure and two days at Walt Disney World. They also saw a performance by Cirque du Soleil and dined at the House of Blues, Planet Hollywood, and the Portobello Yacht Club. ------------------------------------ PAGE 4 Don't forget Coordinator Chat! Earn 50 points when you come in on a Chat day. Whenever you see this picture on the calendar, that's a Chat day! Technology Workshop Friday, September 12 10 am & 3 pm Curtice-Mott, Room 2125 Learn how to: set up your MCC email account, use WebAdvisor, MCC Answer, and Blackboard! Earn 250 points by attending this workshop! Reserve your seat by September 5 Call 232 4696 The SSS program presents a number of workshops throughout the academic year. Sessions will be held in the morning and afternoon so you can fit these workshops around your classes and into your schedule. Members will earn 250 points for attending a workshop session and light refreshments will be served.