Student Resources

Targeted Groups

TECH PREP
Targeted Group - High School Students

Tech Prep is a program of study that combines, at a minimum, two years of secondary education with two years of post-secondary education. The Tech Prep program constitutes a non-duplicative sequence or course of study that integrates academic and vocational and technical instruction, and utilizes work-based and worksite learning. Students may earn post-secondary credits through the articulation process for courses completed in high school by meeting all requirements of the Tech Prep program. Articulation coordinates high school courses with college programs so students can take courses in high school that may eliminate the need to take some introductory courses in their chosen degree of certificate area. It assures students a seamless transition into college. Students who have completed the Technical Pathway or Dual Pathway (which combines the Technical and College Prep pathways) as prescribed by Memphis City and Shelby and Fayette county schools, with an 85% or better grade in specific career technical courses, are eligible.

Tech Prep programs are offered in Tennessee’s Seven Career Clusters:

Arts & Communication
Business & Marketing
Healthcare
Human Services
Hospitality & Tourism
Manufacturing, Construction & Transportation
Sciences & Technology

For further information, call the Tech Prep Office at 901/333-5050. OR visit our website: http://www.tbr.state.tn.us

Professional Re-Entry Education Program (PREP)
Targeted Group - Single Parents and Displaced Homemakers

PREP is a free nine-week career counseling program designed to help participants make decisions regarding career directions offered by Southwest Tennessee Community College. The program serves single parents and displaced homemakers that have the potential to succeed in a post-secondary institution, but may lack initial financial resources to get started or the motivation to attend. To aid in motivation toward achieving career goals, the PREP program includes workshops on college life, positive self-imaging, career options, stress management, employability skills training, money management, time management, goal-setting and related topics.

Eligibility requirements are:

Single parent (with parental custody) or displaced homemaker (an individual who has lost their source of income because of divorce, separation, the death or medical disability of a spouse, or the loss of public assistance)

High school diploma or GED
Have not previously earned a college degree
Motivation to succeed

PREP is free. We additionally offer:

Assistance applying for federal financial aid and scholarships
An on going counseling relationship with PREP counselors
The base for a support group that will make the return to school and/or work an easier one
Transportation and child care assistance, (as space allows), for children six weeks to 12 years of age during the day

The opportunity to borrow textbooks as available from the PREP library each semester after enrolling Day and evening workshops are available. For more information about PREP, call Southwest Tennessee Community College at 901/333-4145.

Upward Bound
Targeted Group - High School Students, 9th, 10th, and 11th Grade

Upward Bound is a pre-college educational program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The goal of Upward Bound is to assist eligible students in their efforts to successfully complete high school and obtain a college education. Participants are provided with comprehensive educational services that are specifically designed to enhance learning and self-confidence. During the regular school year, Upward Bound students attend Saturday sessions.

Included in the sessions are:

Classroom Instruction
Academic and Career Planning
Tutoring
College and Financial Aid Advising
Cultural Enrichment
Experience living on a College Campus
Self-Esteem/Self-Awareness
Small Monthly Stipends

Eligibility is determined for those who:

Are enrolled in the 9th, 10th, or 11th grade at one of the following high schools: Frayser Middle College, Hillcrest Millington Central, Manassas, Treadwell, Melrose
Are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Are potential first-generation college students (son/daughter of parents who have not received a four-year college degree)
Are academically or economically deprived
Demonstrate an interest in preparing for college while attending high school
Have a sincere desire to improve grades and take necessary courses to get into college

The student must submit an application along with other documentation that substantiates the eligibility requirements. Applications may be picked up from the Guidance Office in the target schools.

For more information, call Southwest Tennessee Community College at (901)333-5119.

Midsouth Alliance for Minority Participation (MAMP)
Targeted Group - Science, Mathematics and Engineering STCC Students

The Mid-South Alliance for Minority Participation (MAMP) is a combination of efforts of Southwest Tennessee Community Collegeand 10 other institutions of higher education to:

Increase minority enrollment in the Science, Engineering and Mathematics (SEM) Program at Alliance schools
Establish bridging mechanisms for SEM students from two-year to four-year colleges
Help minority undergraduates successfully complete their baccalaureate degree in science, engineering and mathematics.
Prepare and assist minority SEM undergraduates’ entrance into graduate school to obtain M.S. and Ph.D. degrees

Financial support consists of the following:

Paid internship
Up to $500 during pre-freshman programs
Up to $1800 for two years for freshman
Up to $1250 for two years for sophomores
Additional institutional grants and scholarships for which MAMP students qualify

Academic and career support includes:

Minority role models working as academic mentors for cooperative learning during the academic year

Peer tutorials
Summer internship in majoring field
Mentor/student relationship
Professional role models from local industry
Other activities that motivate and encourage completion of college and graduate studies in SEM areas

For more information on the Summer Program and Academic Year Program requirements, contact the MAMP Academic Coordinator at (901)333-4174.

MAPS/GEAR-UP PROGRAMS
Targeted Group - Seventh Grade Students and Parents

The MAPS (Making Advanced Plans for Success) Program is made possible through the Memphis City Schools and GEAR-UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) grant funds. Southwest Tennessee Community College (STCC), via the MAPS Program, targets seven area middle, junior, and high schools, helping approximately 1,300 seventh grade students.

The overall purpose of the MAPS program is twofold. First, the program is fully committed to helping seventh graders enroll and successfully complete more high level courses, such as Algebra I. To better prepare these students, STCC provides each student with a tutor/mentor to support and guide them through their middle and high school years. Tutors help students develop stronger study habits, as well as provide a living example of what it is like to go to college. Secondly, STCC hosts summer enrichment camps that offer students exposure to college campuses as well as allowing students to further develop those skills needed for college admittance. STCC also coordinates college tours for seventh graders which exposes them to college experiences.

Secondly, the MAPS program provides a number of resources to parents which will help parents better prepare their child for college. MAPS provides parents with:

An early awareness and information concerning course requirements and college admissions requirements
An opportunity to visit and tour college campuses and speak with financial aid and admissions officers
Parent Informational Workshops geared to helping them be more informed and active in their child’s education

The GEAR-UP grant, which provides significant funding for the implementation of the MAPS Program is a five-year federal grant, renewable annually.

Workforce Development
Targeted Group - welfare recipients, economically disadvantaged

The Work Force Development Center provides: (1) a modern computerized basic skills laboratory to upgrade customers’ employability skills; (2) job placement and developmental skills enhancements for individual customers through qualified job developers and trainers; (3) industrial marketing services and DACUM job analysis services for industry. For more information, call 901/333-5298 or 901/333-6200.