From left: Chris Weiss, Lily Pirtle, Whitney Wolk-Maddux, Jen Shore, Jennifer Bowling, Kendra Pigg, Christa Tinsley

Mineral Area College hosts three TRIO programs: Upward Bound, EXCEL/Student Support Services (SSS) and Educational Talent Search.These programs, funded by the Department of Education, help eligible students overcome barriers to successfully participating in higher education. All services offered by the TRIO programs are provided at no cost to participants.

EXCEL/Student Support Services (SSS)

EXCEL/SSS is an academic support program that serves low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities who are enrolled at Mineral Area College and who have the potential to earn an associate's degree. The primary goals of EXCEL/SSS are to retain students until they graduate from Mineral Area College and to assist students in the transfer process. In order to achieve these goals, EXCEL/SSS provides individual and group tutoring in all general education courses and many electives; advising services including assistance with course selection, degree planning, registration, and applying for financial aid; economic literacy information; assisting students in identifying, researching and applying to four-year universities; and accompanying students on visits to college campuses. Scholarships and SSS Supplemental Grant Aid are provided, subject to availability of funding.

Talent Search

The program identifies and assists youth ages 11 to 27 years of age who meet US Department of Education guidelines and who have the potential to succeed in postsecondary education. The program provides academic, career, and financial aid advising, tutoring, college campus visits, assistance in preparing for college entrance examinations, financial aid planning, and assistance in completing college admissions forms. The goal of the Talent Search Program is to increase the number of eligible youth who graduate from high school and continue on to postsecondary institutions of their choice.

Upward Bound

Upward Bound is a high school college prep program that helps eligible students prepare for success in high school and college by providing activities to sharpen their skills and encourage achievement. There is no cost to the student or their family to participate.  Upward Bound at Mineral Area College is one of more than 900 Upward Bound programs federally funded through the U. S. Department of Education. Many of those programs have been operating since 1965.

First-Generation MAC Employees

Melynda Barks

Institutions Attended:
Mineral Area College; Southeast Missouri State; Central Methodist; Missouri Baptist
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
Being an older student with children.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Breathe - find someone to talk to - get involved and meet others.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
Making friends for life.

Maggie Elliott

Institutions Attended:
Stephen F. Austin; Central Methodist
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
Working and keeping up with classes.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Take it one day at a time and focus on your end goal!
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
Meeting a lot of new friends and being proud of earning a degree.

Joe Gilgour

Institutions Attended:
Southwest Baptist; Arkansas Tech; Saint Louis University
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
balance of social and academic, and money.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Find support, it is all around you but sometimes colleges are not good at advertising it. It is there.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
I met my wife!

Stacey Gillette

Institutions Attended:
Saint Louis University
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
Financial - I went to a private institution where most of my peers had their parents paying their way for college. I was balancing two jobs and a full-time course load.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Learn to pace yourself. College is a marathon, not a sprint.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
Exposure to people who are different than I am. Even though I went to school an hour away from where I was born, I was introduced to people of all different backgrounds and that was a really valuable experience for me.

Angie Hagerty

Institutions Attended:
Mineral Area College
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
Returning to college as a non-traditional student after more than a 25-year absence, while working a full-time job required an adjustment of time management and self discipline.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
If you feel like you'll never finish, just keep working to chip away at the number of credits you need, even if it just one or two courses at a time.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
Earning my degree provided me with a confidence boost. I gained a sense of self worth for having finally completed my degree, knowing that no one would ever be able to take the accomplishment from me.

Dan Jaycox

Institutions Attended
Southeast Missouri State
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
The independence of it all. For me, it was a quick shift into adulthood.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Use your resources!
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
Critical thinking skills.

Pam Jaycox

Institutions Attended
Southeast Missouri State
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
Establishing a new routine was important, as college school days aren't regulated by hourly bells and daily reminders from teachers. It was important for me to schedule in homework/study time around my classes to balance school, work, and social time.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
It's normal to feel overwhelmed. It's important to ask for help and craft a reasonable plan for managing tasks and stress.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
I learned how to network and make connections that helped me grow professionally and socially.

Andrea Kemper

Institutions Attended
Mineral Area College; Central Methodist
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
Financial obstacles.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Colleges have plenty of resources available to help you-talk to your instructor, advisor, tutoring departments, etc.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
Self-discipline on completing assignments and understanding the work-school-life balance.

Lana LaBruyere

Institutions Attended
Mineral Area College; Arkansas State
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
Time management & dealing with stress.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Ask for help and resources to assist you with your needs and areas of concern.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
Learning that it is not easy and if it were, everyone one do it; perseverance; making friends/connections; participate in clubs/groups; stay active. You are capable of more than you think.

Susie LaChance

Institutions Attended
Mineral Area College; Central Methodist
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
working full time and being a single parent trying to go to college, work full time and do classes and finding time to do homework.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
When they start college do not expect too much from themselves at one time. Just try going part time to see how they adjust to college. Also seek assistance from their instructors, tutoring or the counseling services if they start to feel overwhelmed.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
a good career and lots of knowledge.

Michelle Matheny

Institutions Attended
Minnesota; Washington University; Southeast Missouri State
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
Managing my work and study schedule and paying for all my expenses.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Be proactive in reaching out for help; seek out TRIO advisors (TS, UB, EXCEL/SSS0).
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
Finding out that I could indeed manage college, career, and many other responsibilities.

Vickie Morgan

Institutions Attended
Jefferson College; Columbia College; Missouri; Missouri Baptist
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Communicate! There are many resources available on campus that can help you. We ALL want you to succeed and are willing to help you.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
College brought me out of my shy self and helped me find my voice.

Emily Murdock

Institutions Attended
Truman State
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
Learning to be on my own without having 24/7 support from my family.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
I think the most important thing a student can do is build a tribe of people. Once you have your tribe, you'll have people to talk to when you're overwhelmed (or with any other struggle). It can be friends, teachers, or even the lunch lady. Just build a group of people who care for you.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
Meeting like-minded people.

Maddie Pryor

Institutions Attended
College of the Ozarks
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
Adjusting to being away from home and living more independently.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Take a deep breath and look at the bigger picture.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
Life-long friendships

Sarah Rodgers

Institutions Attended
Mineral Area College; Central Methodist; Louisiana State - Shreveport
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
At every level: Time Management!
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Talk to someone: A teacher, your advisor/navigator, coach, etc.. We have so many resources for our students and want nothing but success and a positive experience for each of our students -regardless of age!
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
Exposure to other cultures. It really helped me become more open minded and accepting of others.

Racheal Starbird

Institutions Attended
College of the Ozarks
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
The biggest hurdle I faced was being treated as an adult and finally getting to make decisions for myself without such a strong parental influence. I was able to make my own decisions and sometimes face my own consequences. And although it was nerve wracking or intimidating at times, all the challenges helped shape me into the person I am today.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
When I would get overwhelmed in school I would take a drive, go for a walk, and try to get out of my head for a second. It was a hard concept to grasp but eventually it clicked that I do not have to do everything, or be involved so heavily to enjoy where I was at. Sometimes just playing board games with friends or taking a nap was just what I needed to reset myself for the next week. I found when I actually took a break and slowed down, my performance in class improved and my overall mental clarity did as well.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
Other than my education and work experience the most valuable thing I received from college were the lasting relationships I created. During college you are in a unique season of life and luckily there are so many other people around you going through the same things. My teammates, roommates, and fellow peers helped make my college experience unforgettable! We rejoiced in all our victories together, we celebrated holidays, we comforted each through hard times, and we became like family when we were all so far away from our own. The relationships and connections I made have deeply impacted my life and helped to shape my worldview, I wouldn't change a single moment.

Kerston Thurman

Institutions Attended
Mineral Area College; Central Methodist; Southeast Missouri State
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
Trying to balance work, school, and a personal life.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Take a minute to yourself and never feel guilty about it!
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
One of the most valuable lessons I learned from college was how to work with people who have different backgrounds, viewpoints, and beliefs. Having conversations and respecting personal beliefs and opinions is crucial in your career.

Lisa Underwood

Institutions Attended
Mineral Area College
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
The age difference of the students compared to myself. (I started college 20 years after high school graduation) The very first class I walked into, one student asked if I was the instructor. I thought that was pretty funny!!
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Talk to your instructors and/or other campus staff. Any MAC employee is there for you! You are not alone!! After my first day, I was feeling overwhelmed and ready to drop out. I talked with my instructor and she told me to hang in there. She was very nice and helped me realize that I could make it through her class if I just kept trying. The first semester was rough, but after seeing that I actually made it through, I continued until I graduated! I will always be thankful for her and her positive words!!
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
Friendships that will last a lifetime!

Rodney Wilson

Institutions Attended
Mineral Area College; Southeast Missouri State; Missouri - St. Louis; Harvard Extension
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
Not having sufficient money to cover costs -- requiring student debt.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Life is often overwhelming. Do what has to be done -- even when overwhelmed or afraid.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
An introduction to the larger world.

Whitney Wolk Maddux

Institutions Attended
Missouri State
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
Learning to study. School had always been easy for me but college was not easy. I had to learn the different ways to study for different types of courses.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Reach out for help. I didn't know all of the resources that were available for students in college until I was nearly finished. And then, I thought those things were for other students who were struggling more than me. I wish I had taken advantage of what was there.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
All of the people I met and the friends I have all over the country. It was the first time I really met anyone from outside of the county I grew up in.

Keith Zoromski

Institutions Attended
Kirkwood Community College; Iowa State; Missouri - St. Louis; Maryville - St. Louis
What was the biggest surprise/hurdle/adjustment you had to overcome when starting college?
Time management, avoiding procrastination, silencing self-doubt and impostor syndrome.
What would you recommend to students who are feeling overwhelmed?
Talk about it, do not let it build up or see it as a sign of weakness. It's normal and okay to feel that way.
Outside of preparing for your career, what was the most valuable thing you got from attending college?
I became a more well rounded civic minded individual.