Seminole State College welcomed students to campus for its annual High School Visit Day on Nov. 12. Nearly 200 students attended the event from Bethel, Bowlegs, Carl Albert, Davenport, Epic Charter Schools, Eufaula, Graham-Dustin, Holdenville, Jim Thorpe Academy, Macomb, McLoud, New Lima, North Rock Creek, Okemah, Paden, Prague, Sasakwa, Seminole, Shawnee, Strother, Stroud, Tecumseh and Wewoka. Students enjoyed interactive breakout sessions, a campus tour scavenger hunt and a complimentary lunch.
Licensed Professional Counselor Stephanie Hassell will provide free mental health counseling to Seminole State College students through the supplemental grant.
The Seminole State College Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTI) federal grant program was recently awarded a supplemental grant, totaling $157,500. The funding will support an array of initiatives at the college, including mental health services, faculty training and enhancements to the Computer Science curriculum.
The grant includes $60,000 designated for mental health initiatives, ensuring accessible counseling support for SSC students. Licensed Professional Counselor Stephanie Hassell, an SSC alumna, will provide free counseling sessions for students every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Room 103 of the Boren Library. Hassell specializes in treating trauma, anxiety and depression. Counseling will be available both in-person and online, and SSC students will also gain access to customized mental health videos on topics like stress and anxiety management through the SSC mobile app.
Chad Cargill speaks to area high school students about strategies for taking the ACT test at Seminole State College on Oct. 21.
Seminole State College Talent Search/FOCUS and Upward Bound programs hosted an ACT prep workshop on Oct. 21, with 87 local high school students in attendance.
The event’s featured speaker was Chad Cargill. Cargill took the ACT a total of 18 times in high school, raising his score from a 19 to a 32. He has presented his workshops for more than 20 years and speaks with over 10,000 students each year.
Attendees received an ACT test prep workbook and enjoyed pizza following the presentation.
Talent Search and Upward Bound are college preparatory programs that are funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The overall goal is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of higher education.
The Talent Search Central and West Projects are 100% federally funded in the amounts of $388,326 and $277,375 annually. For more information about the Talent Search Program, contact 405-382-9709.
The Upward Bound projects are 100% federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Upward Bound I is funded for $414,579, Upward Bound II for $309,505, Math and Science I for $309,505, and Math and Science II for $309,505. For more information about the program, contact 405-382-9710.
Seminole State College hosted its third annual Tribal Fest on Oct. 9 at the Cook Commons on SSC’s campus. Hundreds of attendees browsed the tribal resource fair, which featured more than 30 vendors. Attendees also enjoyed art demonstrations, traditional dance performances and Native American cuisine. The event was sponsored by several federal grant programs on SSC’s campus, including the Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions, Talent Search, Upward Bound, Student Support Services and Student Support Services STEM.
Seventy SSC Talent Search/FOCUS students, staff, and volunteers enjoyed dinner together and attended the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “MJ” at the Oklahoma City Civic Center on Oct. 5. The musical tells the story of Michael Jackson’s life and career, focusing primarily on his preparations for the 1992 Dangerous world tour. The Talent Search Central and West Projects are 100% federally funded in the amounts of $388,326 and $277,375 annually. For more information about the Talent Search Program, please visit sscok.edu/sponsored-grant-programs/talent-search or call 405-382-9709.
The Seminole State College Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institution’s (NASNTI) federal grant program hosted “The Methods of AI in Preserving and Revitalizing Native American Languages” symposium on Sept. 26. Deidre Holmberg (pictured) delivered the event’s keynote with a presentation on generative AI and education. Holmberg is the Principal Tech Education Strategist at Amazon Web Services.
Seminole State College will celebrate Native American culture and heritage during its annual Tribal Fest on Wednesday, Oct. 9. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the SSC campus and will feature a variety of activities, performances and local tribal resources.
Seminole State College will host an Artificial Intelligence Symposium on Thursday, Sept. 26, exploring AI’s innovative role in preserving and revitalizing Native American languages. The symposium is sponsored by SSC’s Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) federal grant.
Deidre Holmberg
The event’s keynote speaker, Deidre Holmberg, Principal Tech Education Strategist at Amazon Web Services will deliver an address titled “GenAI and Education” from 10:10 to 11:15 a.m. in the Jeff Johnston Auditorium. The keynote will focus on generative AI’s growing role in education. Holmberg is an expert of the intersection of education and cloud technology. Her contributions to science and technology education have earned her a place in the Pacific Science Center Hall of Fame.
Seminole State College received notification this week from the U.S. Department of Education that it will receive $6.5 million through the “GEAR UP – Believe and Achieve” grant.
The grant will provide $934,400 annually over a seven-year period, beginning September 1, 2024.
This funding will serve approximately 1,168 students across 12 school districts, including Asher, Holdenville, Konawa, Maud, Moss, Okemah, Seminole, Strother, Tecumseh, Varnum, Wetumka, and Wewoka.
Seminole State College NASNTI (Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions) is a federally funded grant program. While SSC is a nontribal institution, Seminole State College (SSC) does have a significant Native American student population, which qualifies the college for this federal grant. Last year, SSC was also awarded a supplemental grant to support the revitalization and preservation of Native American Language. Part of the supplemental grant funds have been allocated to sponsor an Artificial Intelligence Symposium, featuring innovations in AI and its aid in preserving and revitalizing Native languages.
