Nearly 100 freshmen are getting a head start on their College of Charleston education beginning this week as part of a summer program that assists multicultural and first-generation students with their transition from high school to college.
Members of the 2014 class of SPECTRA, which stands for Speedy Consolidation and Transition Program, are participating in the five-week program that runs July 6 through Aug. 9, 2014.
The 2014 SPECTRA class with S.C. Lt. Governor Yancey McGill.
Established more than 30 years ago, SPECTRA provides a structured learning and living environment that empowers students to start their freshman year on a solid footing.
This year’s SPECTRA class, which includes 71 women and 25 men, is racially diverse and academically accomplished. Many of the students are also involved with other campus programs, including the Honors College, the Gateway to Success Scholarship, the Avery Scholarship, and the South Carolina Alliance for Minority Participation (SCAMP).
Freshman Jitters
While each of the SPECTRA students is unique, they share many of the same concerns and questions about their freshman year.
Jimmy Worthy, a rising sophomore and physical education major from Rock Hill, S.C., was a member of last year’s SPECTRA class and returned this year to serve as one of the program’s interns.
Jimmy Worthy
Worthy remembers having freshman jitters and a lack of confidence before entering the program in 2013. Through SPECTRA, he became more outgoing, more understanding of other cultures and more willing to ask for help, he said.
“If you are shy like I was, it was a great time to learn how to approach your professors in a comfortable setting before the school year starts,” Worthy said. “The SPECTRA program has ultimately shaped me into the student that I am today. I know that I need to be 10 minutes early to engagements, I visit the library at least five times a week, and I’m not afraid to go to professors when I have a question.”
Teresa Smith, director of the Office of Multicultural Student Programs and Services, said Worthy’s experience is common and that SPECTRA students typically have questions and fears about starting college.
“Although SPECTRA is not a remedial program, student LEADers, faculty, and staff are on hand throughout the program to provide support, mentoring, and academic resources that will help them make a smooth transition,” Smith said.
RELATED: Alumna gives back by mentoring SPECTRA students.
After the students moved into their residence hall last week – this year the students are living in the McConnell Residence Hall on Wentworth Street – they attended an orientation session and participated in a series of activities aimed at helping them get to know each other and their program mentors.
Each student is enrolled in two academic courses for the duration of the program. The courses include subjects such as English, math, African American studies, theatre, and personal finance.
The program also includes special workshops focused on job preparation and developing practical skills. A new program this year called JobBridge will teach students how to assess their own personality, strengths and skills.
The goal of JobBridge is to help students discover their purpose in life and to gear their education toward achieving that purpose, Smith said.
Summer Scholar
College of Charleston alumna Ashley O. Davis ’07, who entered SPECTRA in 2004, credits the program for putting her on pathway to academic success.
“While many of my high school classmates were spending their last month of summer only preparing for college or vacationing along sandy beaches, I was sitting in a classroom earning college credit and living in a residence hall,” Davis said.
Ashley O. Davis
After SPECTRA, Davis continued to view summer as an opportunity to advance more quickly toward graduation. She managed to complete her degree in three years by taking summer courses. She now works as a career services coordinator at Central Carolina Technical College in Sumter, S.C.
“SPECTRA made my transition from a high school student to a college student a comfortable one,” Davis said. “I grew as an individual, student and as a professional.”
Davis also has stayed involved with the SPECTRA program. She recently spoke to the incoming 2014 class about the importance of a college education.
“I strive to help college students just as SPECTRA helped me,” Davis said. “I am extremely thankful that I had the opportunity to be a part of such a prestigious program.”
