Students praise CSC’s Project Strive for resources, support

Composite photo of two students
Chadron State College students, from left, Sebastian Garcia and Samantha Hill. The two students say the resources and support available through Project Strive make a significant difference in helping first-generation and low-income CSC students achieve academic success and reach their goals. (Photos by Daniel Binkard/Chadron State College)

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CHADRON -- The resources and support available through Project Strive make a big difference in helping first-generation and low-income students find academic success and achieve their goals, according to two current Chadron State College participants in the federally funded program.

“The summer before I started, and my first semester were full of doubt and a lot of worry,” said Samantha Hill, a Gillette, Wyoming, native who will start her junior year at CSC in August. “Project Strive has allowed me to feel supported and important. I have met new people and found so much support from the staff.”

The ways Project Strive can connect students with support systems stand out to Sebastian Garcia, a sophomore from Rapid City, South Dakota.

“(For people) with disabilities and especially those with lower income or first-generation who just need to get their foot in the door, Project Strive is a good opportunity,” Garcia said. “It definitely is a good thing to help people get a head start, learn about college, and get connected.”

Project Strive is the name Chadron State uses for one of the eight federal TRiO programs, created in 1965, to support individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds in attaining post-secondary education. CSC has been part of the Department of Education programs, which include Upward Bound and Student Support Services, since 1967. Chadron State’s participation has repeatedly been reauthorized, but the programs face potential funding cuts.

Both Hill and Garcia qualified for Project Strive as first-generation college students. Other eligible criteria for enrollment in Project Strive include a low-income background or disabilities. Students accepted into the program receive a variety of services including special counseling, targeted workshops, physical resources, and the possibility for some financial assistance.

Garcia learned of Project Strive as a senior in high school while planning college visits and exploring CSC’s website. Attracted by the affordability of a rangeland management degree at Chadron State, he decided to enroll. 

“I knew that the degree was going to be a quality education for a really good price,” he said.   

Taking advantage of his first-generation status, Garcia joined the program and immediately saw some benefits.

“Resource-wise, I was very blessed by Project Strive,” he said.

Project Strive also provides workshops on a variety of topics important for students unfamiliar with the college environment, including scholarships, grants, loans, and budgeting. “

I think those are really important things, especially for those who qualify for Project Strive,” Garcia said. “The workshops were my favorite part. They helped me a lot.”

As a student ambassador for Chadron State, Garcia always lets prospective students know of the opportunities Project Strive offers.

“Every tour I have, I am able to bring up Project Strive,” he said. “We are definitely at a time when a lot of parents are sending their students to school and wanting that extra resource.”

For Hill, the counseling services provided by Project Strive have been particularly beneficial. 

“Being a first-generation student is very difficult to navigate,” she said. “I have found personal success and growth through my time in counseling, something that never would have happened if I had not gone to my first counseling session through Project Strive.”

She also praised the Project Strive workshops and the social events that helped her connect with other students from similar backgrounds.

“My favorites were Time Management, Build Your Own Zen Garden, and volunteering with Keep Chadron Beautiful,” she said.

Hill attributes her Project Strive experiences to her decision to pursue a double major in criminal justice and psychological studies, as well as a minor in visual arts. “

"I am confident in my abilities, something freshman Samantha would not have been able to say,” she said.

Hill’s success at CSC is reflected in the leadership positions she has taken in a number of campus organizations and her recent appointment as a student trustee on the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State Colleges.

“Now I am able to keep growing in my confidence, knowing I belong at CSC,” she said.

Reducing or eliminating Project Strive could be life-changing for potential students from a background like hers, according to Hill.

“[Project Strive] allows support for students who have felt like me, worried and doubtful of beginning college. The program provides a safe place for students to learn, make friends and express the concerns they have about college,” she said. “I hope that future generations are able to apply for Project Strive services and gain confidence in knowing that regardless of your background, you belong.”

-George Ledbetter

Category: Campus News, Project Strive