A group of 18 incoming first-year Vance-Granville Community College students recently completed the college’s “Summer Bridge” program in preparation for the fall semester.
Summer Bridge is a three-week program designed to enhance students’ transition from high school to college and prepare them to be successful during their freshman year at VGCC. On July 28, the college held a ceremony and reception to recognize students who successfully completed the program, including: David Fabian Garcia of Creedmoor; Kaeson Mayfield of Durham; Ariana Aguirre, Kamaric Harrison, Samantha Hernandez, Kalin Jackson, Heidy Reyes Morosumi, Shadi Nagi, Jeremee Silvers and Brittany Simms, all of Henderson; Lastacey Burwell of Kittrell; Amber Newton of Louisburg; Daniel Brown, Connor Elm, Chance Kiser, Khari Parker and Nicholas Sutton, all of Oxford; and Summer O’Brien of Roxboro. 
VGCC Academic & Career Coach Sherri Alston served as the primary instructor for the program. At the ceremony, she said that the group had fun with creative, hands-on activities as they became oriented to the college and learned about campus support resources. “I’ve been blessed to see how you all have grown even in a little, three-week span,” Alston told the assembled students.
The class nominated Heidy Reyes Morosumi and Khari Parker to speak on their behalf during the ceremony. “Through Summer Bridge, we have met new people, we have made new friendships and we are now more ready to start college than we were three weeks ago,” Reyes Morosumi said. “Thanks to Summer Bridge, we have learned what we need to do to in order to be successful in college.” She said that participants would benefit from the study tips, time management tips, financial tips and advice on how to relieve stress that they had received. Parker described Summer Bridge as “an awesome experience,” adding, “These three weeks have been a truly great way to start our college transition. Ms. Alston has been our first college instructor and a great mentor.”
VGCC Academic Skills Center Coordinator Jason Snelling and Assistant Coordinator Tim MacNeil also addressed participants and their family members at the ceremony, about the “academic enrichment” component of Summer Bridge. They called upon Jermee Silvers and Summer O’Brien to talk about their experience, which included lessons on critical thinking skills, writing essays and tackling word problems in math. “Tim and Jason taught us a lot of ideas in these three weeks that I will use in the future at Vance-Granville,” O’Brien said. “The most interesting thing we did was have a debate on defining what a sandwich was,” Silvers recalled. “We also learned about the importance of communication as a two-way street.”
VGCC Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Levy Brown offered remarks in which he congratulated the students. “You are now prepared to be successful here as a new VGCC Vanguard,” Brown said. “As you move forward, it’s important that you have a plan and that you have a vision.” He said that for some, their vision would be to graduate and go on to a four-year university, while for others, it would be to graduate and go directly into the workforce. “Vision causes individuals to excel in life,” Brown told the students. “If you have a vision, you know where you are going, you have developed a plan, and you will excel. Vision causes you to see years ahead. You all are our future. So write down your vision of where you want to go.”
VGCC Dean of Enrollment and Outreach Jeffrey Allen concluded the program by saying to the students, “Welcome to the VGCC Vanguards family.” For more information about the Summer Bridge program, contact Allen at allenjl@vgcc.edu or 252-738-3405.
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