Friday March 29th, 2024 8:37AM

UNG hosts third annual REACH event offering college information

By Christian Ashliman Anchor/Reporter

The University of North Georgia hosted its third annual REACH event on Jan. 24 where prospective students were able to learn about the college experience.

UNG has been hosting the Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) event for three years, encouraging high school students and their parents to attend and learn more about the application process, student life and how to engage with professors. This year’s event was held in partnership with the Georiga Student Finance Commission.

According to a release by the university, approximately 200 students, parents and mentors were in attendance from 30 different school districts across Georgia.

Vice President’s Special Assistant Jennifer Herring said the event seeks to simplify some of the intimidating processes of being accepted into college and succeeding once on campus.

"If we can break it down into more digestible bites for the students and their families, it won't be so overwhelming," Herring said.

REACH students sign a contract in the eighth grade, where they commit to maintain strong grades, engage with their REACH mentor and programs, keep positive attendance and behavior while at school and graduate from high school in exchange for a college scholarship. The REACH Georgia program is reportedly the state’s first needs-based mentorship and scholarship.

2021 UNG graduate Noah Bryant served as the event’s opening keynote speaker. Earning a bachelor's degree in history, he went on to obtain a master’s degree in Celtic archaeology from Bangor University in Wales during 2021-22, making use of a Fulbright scholarship. While at UNG, he served as the Student Government Association president at the Cumming campus and later helped start the first-generation honor society at the Gainesville campus.

"Even when I was in school, I really liked working first-generation college students because I am one," Bryant said. "It's nice to still be able to come back and help students realize they aren't alone. When they see people who have done it before them and succeeded, it helps them believe they can."

UNG senior Anh Tran, who attends the Gainesville campus, is currently pursuing a marketing degree with a concentration in digital marketing. She was the previous president of Enactus, Vice President of the Asian Student Association and worked as the treasurer of Nighthawks Entertainment. Tran served on the “What I Wish I had Known Before Getting to College” panel during the REACH event.

"I enjoy helping students have an advantage,” Tran said. “They can do anything they can set their mind to. They should make meaningful connections with mentors who are working in professions where they see themselves in the future. My success has come from being able to say yes to new experiences."

Associate professor of political science and international affairs Dr. Bibek Chand was one of the faculty members on the "Professors are People Too" panel.

"It was a great opportunity for professors to connect with prospective students," Chand said. "It was a good place for students to be comfortable asking questions about making the leap from high school to college. We were able to help clarify some of those expectations for them."

Assistant professor of Spanish Dr. Rosaria Meek also served on the faculty panel.

"Any action that supports students from disadvantaged backgrounds makes a difference in helping such students attend and graduate from college," Meek said. "These initiatives are propellers for social mobility, and Georgians need to embrace all the opportunities out there to ensure and accelerate the prosperity of our state."

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  • Associated Tags: education, ung, University of North Georgia, scholarship, college, REACH
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