CollegeTracks College Success Program Newsletter

"Ted, Vidal and I are going to Green Bay, Wisconsin to visit Ted's parents. We will enjoy being together, while watching the Michigan/Ohio St. Football game (Ted's family is from Michigan). We will all be especially thankful if Ohio St. doesn't win!

Ms. Nneka

"After years of dreaming about vacationing near beautiful mountains, I will finally visit Denver, Colorado this Thanksgiving holiday! I have lived in Wisconsin and Minnesota for most of my life, where the land is very flat. I am excited to see a different part of the country this Thanksgiving."

Ms. Rachel

"I will stay in town, enjoying my kids who will be home from college for the holiday! I usually host a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for about 20 people. YUM!"

Ms. Fenise Dunson

" I am planning a non-traditional meal for the Thanksgiving at my home and entertaining friends and family. I look forward to attending worship service the night before, board games, football, and lots of great food and fellowship."

Mr. Dennis

" This Thanksgiving my wife, daughter, and I are planning to have a quiet dinner together where we all help cook. We bought family aprons and everything! "

Ms. Courtney

"I'm planning to go to South Carolina, where my parents are from, to celebrate with both sides of my family at my great-grandparents' house. I'm looking forward to seeing all of my aunts, uncles, two grandmothers, and many cousins as well as eating delicious food!"

Mr. Peter

"I will be heading home to Michigan where the trees will be perfect shades of red, orange, and yellow and
the weather will be sunny with a slight chill in the air. Or it will be freezing, dark, and raining and all the trees will
be dead. Either way, there will be football and food."

Mr. Sean

"I am planning on having a "friends giving" for the holiday. I am not 100 percent sure about the dish that I will be making, but more than likely spinach or white rice with a cream broccoli sauce."

Shout out to the following Scholars who are in their last semester at MC and are about to transfer: Rene Lemus, Camila Serpas Landaverde, Godwin Yeboah, and Shayan Hassani! All of these Scholars have worked tremendously hard, and Ms. Jenni is so proud of each of them for accomplishing such a huge milestone!

Shout out to Sol Leon (Trinity Washington University). Sol pushes through each challenge with grit and resilience, and Ms. Jenni knows these skills will serve her well as a nurse!

Shout out to Kevin Ventura (Montgomery College). Kevin who has worked so many obstacles and is graduating from MC this semester. Ms. Rachel is so very proud of his accomplishment.

Shout out to Jeffanie Rantung (UMD@USG). Between work, family, academics, and interviewing for full-time jobs after graduation, Jeffanie is balancing a lot in her last semester of college. Ms Jenni is proud of her determination and persistence!

Shout out to Chantal Gutierrez (UMD-Baltimore@USG) who is in her final semester of the Nursing program and has so much to balance but is doing an incredible job!

Shout out to Cathy Villanueva (Frostburg State). Ms. Jenni is so proud of Cathy's courage, resilience, and determination to push through challenges.

Shout out to Mr. Dennis' Scholars Ricardo C., Joshua G., Jessica R., Carlos H., Wendy T., Michael R., Virginia H., and Devin O. for completing their renewals for the 2018/19 FAFSA.

Shout out to Rosa Hernandez (Montgomery College) and Isabelle Alegbeleye (Stevenson University) for earning their Certified Medical Assistant Certificates!

Shout out to Keiry Reyes for being accepted to Frostburg State University for Spring 2018! Keiry's tenacity is especially admirable as she is not currently enrolled at MC this semester.

Shout out to Michelle Darkwa (Towson University) for accomplishing her goals of becoming more organized and improving her time management skills this semester. Coach Courtney is so proud of Michelle for taking the initiative to utilize on-campus academic resources to reach her goals, while also working on-campus 15 hours a week and being highly involved with her student organizations as well.

Shout out to Claire Lee (University of Maryland College Park). This is Claire's first semester at College Park, and she has definitely hit the ground running! Claire is a computer science major and with a lot of hard work and a strong commitment to studying, she's done extremely well academically thus far this semester. Claire has also gotten involved with on-campus student organizations related to computer science and programming; and last but not least, Claire applied to participate in the Intern for a Day Program at UMD and was selected and matched to intern with Ferguson Enterprises Inc.!

Please keep up the great work. We are proud of you all!

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Success.Program

Stress Management

Scholars, just hearing the word "stress" can make some people feel "stressed out". As a college student you will feel stress at times and if you aren't careful it may overwhelm you or develop into a greater problem; like anxiety or depression. Stress is our body's reaction to change and tension and let's face it, going to college is a major life change! It can present itself physically, emotionally and mentally. It is an inevitable part of life, but how you manage it will determine how well you live your life. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America:

30% of college students reported that stress had negatively affected their academic performance.
And 85% of college students reported they had felt overwhelmed by everything they had to do at some point within the past year. (www.adaa.org)

What can you take from these statistics? First, please understand that you are not alone. Lots of college students are challenged by stress just like you. Secondly, managing stress can be difficult, but if you ignore it stress can negatively impact your academic performance and more. Finally, because so many students are dealing with this issue, almost every college and university has resources to assist students.

Here are a few tips to help you manage stress:

Find out what stresses you. You can't find a solution without identifying the cause;
Get enough Sleep, Eat well, and Exercise;
Avoid unnatural energy boosters, caffeine, drugs, and alcohol;
Don't give up on your passions-the things you enjoy outside of academics, your hobbies etc. because they will help you relax;
Try not to overload yourself-it's okay to say NO to joining every club or activity. It's also okay to take only 15 credits a semester and take more during the summer or winter breaks if needed;
BREATHE- "Try this exercise: Inhale slowly through your nose, hold the breath for a few seconds, then exhale through your mouth, and repeat as needed. This helps prevent the short, shallow breaths that often accompany feelings of tension,"
Learn to manage your time wisely-plan, prioritize and eliminate distractions;
Try Mindfulness! Remember what you are grateful for and meditate on the positive aspects of your life and accept what you can not change;
*Get Help! - You can find assistance in a variety of places--on campus at your school's Health Center, your spiritual leader or the school's chaplain, a friend, your RA, a professor or even your college success Coach. (adapted: www.everydayhealth.com).

There is only 1 YOU! Take your mental health seriously.

If you are having overwhelming thoughts or need help with handling issues such as stress, anxiety or depression please reach out to a mental health professional right away. There is no shame in asking for and receiving help.

Your CollegeTracks Success Coach is here to assist you.

*Montgomery County Crisis Center: (240) 777-4000

The Success Team is delighted to welcome 2 new Coaches to our Team!

What school did you attend and what was your major? Peter Marsden

Emory University - Maj: Film Studies, Min: Education

What is your favorite food?

Indian? Italian? Tacos? Pizza? I clearly enjoy food.

What's one interesting fact about yourself?

I have traveled to all 50 U.S. states.

What are you most excited about in joining the CollegeTracks S uccess Team?

I'm clearly most excited about meeting with students. I would be at the wrong job if that weren't the case.

What are your hobbies?

I don't really have strict hobbies so I'm choosing to answer a different question: During my spare time I like to play basketball and soccer, go see movies, and play board games and card games.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?

I would want to be able to pick up skills extremely quickly. If you're thinking something like Neo in The Matrix, you're on the right track.

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Sean Combs

What school did you attend and what was your major?

Columbia College (Chicago) - Maj: Arts Entertainment Management

What is your favorite food?

Sushi

What's one interesting fact about yourself?

I am afraid of flying!

What are you most excited about in joining the CollegeTracks Success Team?

Meeting all of my scholars and building new relationships!

What are your hobbies?

Attending dog shows, reading, and traveling (ironically)

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?

I would like to possess the ability to multiply (think x-men character "Multiple Man." There is just not enough of me to go around!!!!!

Don't miss out! Scholarships are a great way to help pay for your school, books, transportation, etc. And best of all, you don't have to pay them back!

Name: Amazon Student Scholarship

Due Date: November 20, 2017

Amount: $5000 and $500 for books

Eligibility: Open to all Amazon student members who are enrolled full time in a post-secondary institution. Finalists are selected based on GPA, community involvement, and leadership experience.

More Info: https://aim.applyists.net/Account/LogOnReturnUrl=%2fAmazon

Name: The Herb Block Scholarship

Due Date: November 10, 2017

Amount: Up to $8000 per academic year

Eligibility: Attend a participating community college and have earned less than 40 credits towards a degree.

More Info: https://www.herbblockfoundation.org/scholarships/scholarship-application

Name: Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarship

Due Date: November 14, 2017

Amount: Up to $40,000 per year

Eligibility: Must be a student at a communitycollege with the intent to enroll in the Fall of 2018 as a full time student at an accredited university. Must have at least a 3.5 GPA and have demonstrated financial need.

More Info: http://www.jkcf.org/scholarship-programs/undergraduate-transfer/

Name: Education Matters Scholarship

Due Date: November 30, 2017

Amount: $5000

Eligibility: Open to all legal residents enrolled in a post-secondary institution. Must answer the question, "What would you say to someone who thinks education doesn't matter, or that college is a waste of time and money?"

More Info: https://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/education-matters-scholarship

Scholar Talent Showcase Corner


	Kadian Graham

Meet Kadian Graham . Kadian attends Montgomery College where she is studying Criminal Justice. But, other scholars may not realize that Kadian is also a talented singer-songwriter.

We interviewed Kadian for the newsletter and here is what she had to say:

When did you first know you wanted to sing?

I first knew I wanted to sing in the 11th grade, at least that's when I decided I actually wanted to make it a career.

What artists have inspired you?

Artists like Kehlani, Jessie Reyes & Girls who pretty much never had a platform to actually get put in positions to meet the right people, but worked hard and reached their goal.

Have you ever taken singing lessons or are you self-taught?

I took some chorus classes in middle school but I don't really remember it. So I'm self-taught and if I need help with pitch the engineers at my studio help

Do you prefer to write your own songs or perform cover songs?

I prefer to write my songs but I have no problem singing someone else's song.

Do you like to perform live?

I haven't actually performed any of my songs live as of yet, but I am always nervous about doing this because I just naturally get scared.

Check out Kadian's songs on SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/kadian-graham-361457358/i-do-1

Way to go Kadian!!

Do you have a talent or skill that you would like featured in our Talent Showcase Corner? We would love to showcase your talent in music, poetry, visual arts and more! Please share your information with your Success Coach!

* MONTGOMERY COLLEGE-SPECIFIC INFORMATION *

REGISTER FOR SPRING CLASSES:

Course registration has begun. Register now to get the classes you want and need to graduate.

RENEW YOUR FAFSA:

If you are FAFSA-eligible and have not renewed your FAFSA for the 18-19 academic year, set a check in to do with your coach soon. Renew now to get your maximum financial aid.

CHECK OUT MC'S FOOD PANTRY:

MC and CollegeTracks know that hungry students don't learn. Click here:

http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/EDU/Department2.aspx?id=102265 to learn more about MC's food pantries, located on all 3 campuses.

THANK YOU FOR READING THE SUCCESS PROGRAM'S E-NEWSLETTER!

CollegeTracks College Success Program Team:

MS. JENNI ADAMS

MS. NNEKA ONYILOFOR

MS. RACHEL LOSTUMBO

MS. FENISE DUNSON

MR. DENNIS TURNER

MS. COURTNEY RILEY

MR. PETER MARSDEN

MR. SEAN COMBS