LEADERSHIP POSITIONS ON
CAMPUS, STARTED THE
UNIVERSITY'S DANCE LINE, AND
BECAME THE FIRST BLACK
HOMECOMING QUEEN AT L-S-U-S.
THE MOST AMAZING PART OF ALL,
SHE'S A FIRST GENERATION
COLLEGE STUDENT.HER STORY IS
THE EXCEPTION.NBC 6'S JACQUE
JOVIC EXPLAINS HOW A LOCAL
ORGANIZATION IS WORKING TO
MAKE SURE MORE FIRST
GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS
SUCCEED.
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((Shandrea Lyons/First
Generation College Student))"I
was really frustrated. It was
really confusing and I felt
really lost."((Jacque
Jovic/Reporting))Shandrea
Lyons is a first generation
college student. She recently
graduated from LSUS with a
major in criminal justice.Her
happy ending started with a
rocky beginning.((Shandrea
Lyons/First Generation College
Student))"Just getting to
orientation, trying to figure
out do I go right or left. The
sign is confusing in front of
me. A lot of it was just kind
of figuring it out, Googling
it, searching the school's
website until you find out
what you're looking for."
((Jacque Jovic/Reporting))
While she had to be
resourceful to get to the
finish line, for her, quitting
was never an option.((Shandrea
Lyons/First Generation College
Student))"I felt like my mom
made so many sacrifices for
our family that for her to can
not let her down. I cannot let
those sacrifices be in vain."
((Jacque Jovic/Reporting))Not
all college journeys in
Louisiana end in success.
((Kesha Simmons/You Too, Inc.
Executive Director))"What we
have learned is that the state
of Louisiana has among the
worst college retention rates
in the nation with only 50% of
college freshman completing
that first year."((Jacque
Jovic/Reporting))That
statistic is one of many
motivations for high school
counselor Kesha Simmons to
start the non-profit group
"You Too" which helps first
generation college students
and students with disabilities
transition from high school to
college.((Kesha Simmons/You
Too, Inc. Executive Director))
"Without that support or that
history of having someone in
the family who graduated
college, they typically don't
know how to navigate the
college campus successfully."
((Jacque Jovic/Reporting))She
has partnered with the LSUS
Student Success Center, which
started in 2016.((Correy
Hammond/LSUS Student Success
Center Director))"A lot of
students coming here, I do
believe identify as first
generation college students."
((Jacque Jovic/Reporting))
Correy Hammond is the Director
of the Success Center, a one
stop shop for student support
services.As a first generation
college student himself, he
understands the unique needs.
((Correy Hammond/LSUS Student
Success Center Director))"When
I got to my campus I wasn't
familiar about places to go to
get help for academic support.
I was really challenged with
navigating financial aid
issues."((Jacque
Jovic/Reporting))Hammond
believes adding transition
support will be a good
complement to the services his
office provides.((Correy
Hammond/LSUS Student Success
Center Director))"It's just a
great fit to help students
navigate the college culture
and to help them be anchored
in to our campus so that they
do well."((Jacque
Jovic/Reporting))Simmons says
it's important to start with
the basics of making sure
students have the supplies
they need when they go off to
college.She's hosting a supply
drive and 200 footlockers
filled with college essentials
to first-generation college
students, who will be selected
through an application process.
((Kesha Simmons/You Too, Inc.
Executive Director))"We'll
collect data on them so that
we can not only support them
through the first two years of
college but also keep them
tied to our community so when
they do go off and get their
college degrees, we can bring
them back to help with some of
the economic development
initiatives in the city."
((Jacque Jovic/Reporting))
Shandrea is from Monroe but
remains tied to Shreveport.
She has advice for Louisiana
college students who may be
considering giving up.
((Shandrea Lyons/First
Generation College Student))
"Transition often I've learned
that a lot since being in
college. However, it's always
light at the end of the
tunnel."((Jacque
Jovic/Reporting))Jacque Jovic,
NBC 6 News.
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((JEANE))YOU CAN HELP LOCAL
COLLEGE STUDENTS SUCCEED BY
DONATING DURING THE DORM
SUPPLY DRIVE.IT RUNS THROUGH
JULY 19TH.YOU CAN DROP OFF
DONATIONS AT ANY BARKSDALE
FEDERAL CREDIT UNION LOCATION.
YOU CAN FIND THE LIST AND
APPLICATION INFORMATION ON OUR
WEBSITE... ARKLATEX HOMEPAGE
DOT COM.
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