ÿþThe TRiO Times Student Support Services Winter 2009 Volume 5, Issue 3 Mott Community College Learning Center - TRiO-SSS 1401 East Court Street Flint, MI 48503 www.mcc.edu/learning/lc_trio.shtml (810) 232-4696 COORDINATOR CHAT Stop in on the designated days and earn 50 points! Inside this issue: Student Highlights..........2 Cultural Activity Pics......2 Upcoming Events.............3 Graduate & Reward Trips.....3 Upcoming Workshops..........4 The Seven Deadly Roadblocks to Success by Chris Widener When traveling down the road it is always good to beware of roadblocks! You don't want to crash and burn do you? The same is true in our journey toward success. We need to beware of those things that will keep us from our destination! What are the most common? Here they are: 1. Fear. Fear is one of the worst enemies of success. When fear wraps its tentacles around you and keeps you in bondage, you will never be able to reach for your dreams. We must confront our fears, see them for what they are, toss them to the side, and pursue our dreams with relentless passion. Conquering fear and stepping forward to reach new lands and new ideas is what makes success possible. What are you afraid of today? What fear must you conquer to be able to achieve your dream? When you realize what it is, take an action that is diametricallyopposed to that which you fear. This will confront and conquer the fear by giving you the first step in the right direction. 2. Lethargy. Quite frankly, what keeps most people from success is that they simply don't have the energy, or make the energy, to do what it takes to move to the next level. They get to a point that is comfortable and then they settle in for a nice, life-long nap! Don't get lethargic; get going! Force yourself to wake up from the slumber and move! 3. Lack of perseverance. Often times the race is lost because the race is not finished. Success is often just around the sharpest corner or the steepest hill. Persevere. Keep going. One more hill. One more corner! In real estate they say the three most important things are "location, location, location." In success the three most important things are "perseverance, perseverance, perseverance." 4. Pessimism. The saying is that you can achieve what you believe. Ask yourself what kinds of beliefs you hold. Are you an optimist or a pessimist? If you don't believe that you can achieve than you won't. Your pessimism will prove you right every time. You will find that you subconsciously undermine yourself. Develop your optimism. Look for ways to believe that you can achieve success. 5. Not taking responsibility. I am the chaplain for the local police department, and the other day I went with an officer as he took two prisoners to court. Time after time the prisoners made excuses as to why they hadn't yet done what the judge had ordered (she didn't buy it, by the way). Continued on page 2 ------------------------ PAGE 2 Continued from page 1 After dropping the prisoners off, I said to the officer that unsuccessful people and prisoners have the same bad habit - they won't accept responsibility for their lives. Bottom line is: You are responsible, whether or not you choose to admit it or accept it. But when you do accept that (and that is the moment when you become empowered), you are on the road to success! 6. Picking the wrong people to hang out with. We can easily become products of our environment. This is why it is essential to hang around people who will spur you on not hold you back! What about the people you have surrounded yourself with? Are they quality people who will encourage you and strengthen you in your quest for success? If not, move on! 7. No vision. Those who succeed always see their success months and years before they live it. They have the ability to look ahead, see the future, imagine the good that can and will come from their lives, families and work. To not have vision is a tremendous roadblock. Sit down and work on seeing the future - and make it good! Chris Widener ___________ Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals andorganizations turn their potential into performance, and succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams. Visit http://www.chriswidener.com to download a free mp3 audio by Chris Widener. Student Highlights A s and B s Jar Winners for Fall Semester September - Abbie Lemmon October - Kiosha Carter November - David Meeks December - Jessyca Staggs & David Meeks Congratulations to all the winners! Don t forget to enter your A s and B s into the Jar. We are now able to draw two winners each month! SSS Welcomes Aubrey Dismuke! Please take a moment to welcome the newest addition to our SSS staff, Aubrey Dismuke. Aubrey joins SSS as our new administrative assistant. Aubrey is a MCC alumni and a former SSS member! Welcome to SSS Aubrey! Fall Cultural Event Pics This past fall semester, SSS students have enjoyed a Lions game at Ford Field, tours of SVSU and U of M-Flint, dinner at Cantebury Village, and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Joe Louis. We also volunteered our time at the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan and moved 6,278 pounds of food! That s over 3 tons! -------------------------------- PAGE 3 Upcoming Events... Detroit Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Come experience some Detroit basketball as the Pistons take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, February 1st at the Palace of Auburn Hills! We will meet in front of the Prahl building at 1:00 p.m.; game time is 2:30 p.m. Earn 100 points for attending this event. LIMITED SEATS! Call 232 4696 to reserve your seat by January 23rd. 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! Celebrate National TRiO Day! Volunteer Service Saturday, February 28th Food Bank of Eastern Michigan Service begins at 9 a.m. Earn 100 points for attending this event! Reserve your seat by February 20th Call 810 232 4696 Extra! Extra! Read all about it! SSS Announces Year-End Graduate and Reward Trips! Reward Student Cultural Event Cleveland, OH June 19-21, 2009 Students will be invited on this all-expense paid trip based on the following criteria: Earn a overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the end of winter semester Earn 1500 participation points or more Have attended MCC for at least 18 credits between fall and winter semesters, completing and passing all courses registered for Our tour of Cleveland is scheduled to include the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Cleveland Zoo & Rainforest, a dinner cruise on Lake Erie, and much more!* *Trip itineraries are budget dependent and may be subject to change Graduate Student Cultural Event Washington D.C. July 23-26, 2009 Students will be invited on this all-expense paid trip based on the following criteria: Submit an official application for graduation with the Registrar s office Earn 500 participation points or more Register for any remaining classes that are required for degree completion for spring semester 2009/4 Our tour of Washington D.C. is scheduled to include tours of Arlington National Cemetery, the Smithsonian, the Vietnam and Lincoln memorials, and the National Zoo. We will also attend a dinner theatre & much more!* *Trip itineraries are budget dependent and may be subject to change --------------------------------- PAGE 4 Upcoming SSS Workshops The upcoming workshops for January and February 2009 are about Money Sense and Transfer. 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. Money Sense Workshop Thursday, January 29 10 am & 2 pm Learning Center - Prahl Building Learn to organize and monitor income and expenses, how to set up a budget, the pros and cons of purchasing on credit, keeping track of financial aid, and more! Call 232 4696 to reserve your seat by January 22nd Transfer Workshop Thursday, February 19 10 am & 2 pm Learning Center - Prahl Building It s never too early to start planning your transfer to a four-year university! Get information and ask questions from our on-campus transfer counselor. Call 232 4696 to reserve your seat by February 12th