Student Support Services and STEM Student Support Services, two federal grant programs housed at Seminole State College, recently offered a session on “Empowering Students.”  Advisors in both programs believe that students often need a boost in self-advocacy skills, which are life-long skills and transferrable to many aspects of life. The hour-long session began with a brief presentation by Sarah Ledford, SSS Advisor. Ledford presented seven key points of empowering yourself, including, “self-empowerment requires insight, calls for initiative” and “an empowered person has a strong sense of morality.” 

Students then spent time in small groups discussing ways to empower themselves with skills that are beneficial in college. Some topics of discussion were effective communication, success strategies, financial management, goal setting and utilizing resources. Students were asked to pinpoint specific ways they can enhance their skills in these areas and then asked to discuss how it helps them grow as a person.  For example, some stated that adjusting study skills to a new, more beneficial method helped them gain more confidence.  One student stated that making a new friend in class led to her find a more efficient way of reading her text book. Through group discussions, students began to see how they are empowering themselves on a daily basis.

“The students really seem to thrive when they are in small group discussions. You should hear their enthusiasm and how they encourage one another. It is one of the most exciting aspects of our jobs. I learn more from the students than I think they ever learn from us. As professionals, we usually present a topic and then the students have small groups to further the discussion.  Sarah did a fabulous job with her presentation and then the students took her topic and kicked it up a notch,” Janna Wilson-Byrd, Director for SSS/STEM SSS, said.

SSS/STEM SSS is a federally funded program by the U.S. Department of Education in cooperation with Seminole State College.

For more information about SSS/STEM SSS, please contact Janna Wilson-Byrd at 405-382-9642 or visit www.sscok.edu/sss