Marine Corps Base Quantico -- Military parents and their young scholars attended a free Pathway to College workshop at Clubs of Quantico, Oct. 17.
The Tiger Woods Foundation funded the educational program for the first time aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico to help military families in the National Capitol Region navigate their path to college.
“This program was designed to help children understand what their strengths are and develop their interests; to ultimately pursue a pathway to their dreams and passions,” said Dr. Kathy Bihr, Tiger Woods Learning Center vice president and executive director. “We are here to ultimately see young people be successful in personal and professional communities.”
During the half-day seminar, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., military families participated in workshops geared towards the best ways to approach postsecondary education. The workshops, some of which were held at the Quantico Education Center, offered attendees scholarship application information, admissions counseling, financial aid workshops, and an opportunity to interface with a specialized College Student Discussion Panel.
“The earlier, the better. The more, the merrier,” said Tim Spicer, College Summit school partnership manager, during the course Parents Apply Too, which informed military parents of the depth of college application processes.
According to Quantico School Liaison Chris Lamb, the transition to college is becoming more difficult, because colleges and universities have increased standards for admission. The objective of Pathway to College is to have a lasting impact on student success through offering hands-on workshops to the community.
“There are a lot of great resources online and students should utilize them all in this transition, but for many people sorting through information can be overwhelming,” said Lamb who manages participation in college preparation programs. “By attending workshops students and parents are placed face-to-face with field experts. These experiences can be much more tangible than viewing information online.”
The Tiger Woods Foundation is focused on supporting students who are first generation college students with underserved backgrounds. The foundation also grants up to 25 Earl Wood scholarships annually to high school graduates with academic promise. Each student is awarded $20,000 and a mentor to help with internships and job readiness.
Quantico Middle/High School graduate Jimmy Green is a military child and recipient of the Earl Wood Scholarship. As part of a College Student Discussion Panel he discussed scholarships, picking classes, time management skills, joining clubs and budgeting. Green is a first generation college student; and he believes parents should have a firsthand perspective of dorm life, budgeting for college, and higher education.
“Military families have unique challenges when thinking about enrolling children for college,” said Bihr. Military families often relocate around the world, which can result in “limited access to resources.” The weekend seminar supported graduates who are “bright and in need of assistance.”
Tiger Woods like many military children knows the rewards and hardships of military life. His father retired Lt. Col. Earl Woods was a Vietnam Veteran who retired as a U.S. Army infantry officer.
“The education of military youth is a high priority for military families, and makes a positive contribution to readiness and retention [throughout the Marine Corps],” said Lamb.
— Writer: iirby@quanticosentryonline.com