By Terrance Gilbert/reporter
Following a successful start in the fall, Empowering Links has various activities planned for the spring for women students districtwide.
“The Empowering Links program is a mentoring program designed to empower Tarrant County College’s female students to make lasting connections,” said South TRIO programs director Sharron Crear, who also serves as an Empowering Links coordinator. “Students studying any discipline are welcome to join, particularly those majoring in science, technology, engineering or math.”
The program was developed as a result of a partnership between The Links Incorporated, an international nonprofit consisting of 12,000 professional women of color, and Achieving the Dream, a national educational movement focused on student success. The two joined to implement the Equation for Excellence, a nationwide mentoring program designed to support student success.
The two partners chose five pilot institutions nationally to participate in the program, and TCC was chosen as one of them, said student success associate vice chancellor Kimberly Beatty. TCC’s pilot program, Empowering Links, was launched on South Campus in the fall.
The program assists students in defining personal and career goals.
“Ladies will get assistance in developing a plan for achieving their goals, developing self-esteem and a positive self-image, creating connections to community and business resources and increasing success, retention and attainment of academic goals,” Beatty said.
The program is managed and funded through the current Title III federal grant aimed at increasing student success.
“We got off to an amazing start during the fall 2013 semester,” program coordinator Tina Jenkins said. “The program conducted a mentor training, two student lunch-and-learn sessions, a mentor/mentee-matching breakfast and a mentor/mentee tea.”
During the spring semester, the program will host a student conference in partnership with the Men of Color program. In addition, Empowering Links mentors and mentees can also attend a women’s conference.
“Although we are currently housed on the South Campus, we are encouraging female students from across the district to join and get involved,” Jenkins said.
Students wanting to participate in Empowering Links may contact Jenkins at dorothy.jenkins@tccd.edu or Crear at sharron.crear@tccd.edu. They can also consult the advising and counseling office on their campus.
