Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/656512
MARCH 23-29, 2016 UCW 21 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Are you ready to dream big? Great, because it's easier than ever to make your dreams a reality! One year ago, FTCC students Joseph Espinoza and Brandon Perez were both dreaming and preparing to transition to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill through Fayetteville Technical Community College's C-STEP (Carolina/College Student Transfer Excellence Program) partnership. C-STEP allows students to become acclimated to the programs and services offered at UNC-Chapel Hill over a span of two years prior to their junior-year transition. Students are exposed to academic advising, campus tours, structured educational programs and a multitude of varied enrichment activities to help them prepare for the intense academic rigor they will encounter with classes at Chapel Hill. For Perez, success has never been about dreaming of fancy cars or huge houses; it's about his dream of life as a Carolina student and his ability to persevere. "I felt much more prepared for the transition to UNC-Chapel Hill than many of the other transfer students who did not come to Carolina through C-STEP. I gained a wealth of information and knowledge about the campus resources and support services, as well as a lot of ways to study and manage my time more effectively. Having these skills helped me prepare for the intensity of the coursework I now have in my Chapel Hill classes. If I didn't have this knowledge or game plan, I would not have been able to live out my dream of attending Carolina, and my success is all about the preparation that was provided to me before I got here. Being in C-STEP taught me about the importance of having a plan, so I could start off on the right foot." Perez can see how C-STEP made a positive difference in his transition from FTCC to UNC: "Carolina is my dream school and brings out the best that I can be! Many transfer students who have not been through C-STEP have told me about their feelings of being lost. Through C-STEP, I gained a sense of family and support, familiarity and community. While completing two years in C-STEP, I became bonded with my cohorts and learned about the importance of strict study skills, time management and accountability — all vital components to success at Chapel Hill, in addition to networking and communicating with professors." As a C-STEP advisor, I challenge students to give more of their time and effort from an educational mindset to ensure they are academically prepared on campus at FTCC and UNC-Chapel Hill. To be successful at Carolina, students must be willing to become actively engaged and committed to achieve success. "As a C-STEP member, I was always encouraged by my C-STEP Advisor to step out of my comfort zone and take a leap. I was pushed to go beyond what I thought I could do and challenged to give more. The constant support showed me how strong I really am, and this strength and confidence are especially important as a Carolina student," stated Espinoza. Students who are invited to participate in C-STEP agree to earn an associate degree in arts or science at a partnering community college and then transfer to Carolina to complete their college studies. Once the community college component has been completed, C-STEP students are guaranteed admission into the School of Arts and Science at UNC. Since its launch, the Carolina Student Transfer Excellence Program has served nearly 500 students from the partner schools. To learn more about C-STEP, call 678-8205 or email nelsonl@faytechcc. edu. FTCC'S C-STEP Program Making Dreams a Reality by LOUTRICIA NELSON C-STEP participants Joseph Espinoza and Brandon Perez. LOUTRICIA NELSON, C-STEP Advisor and University Outreach Supervisor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910.484.6200 Your opinion is something we always want to hear. Call or email us your feedback. WE'RE ALL EARS Questions? Comments? Story Ideas? Let us know how we're doing. 208 Rowan St. Fayetteville, NC 28301 910.484.6200 www.upandcomingweekly.com