She said her immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic – her mom a high school graduate and her dad, who completed third grade – “never helped me with my homework assignments or seemed to enjoy reading or learning themselves.”

But during her high school years, she said, a program that encourages low-income children to attend college ignited an educational spark in her. That is when she decided she wanted to become the first in her family to go to college and learn about social work so she could combat social injustices in today’s world.

“Being in the Upward Bound program in high school, I met people who were struggling with problems I knew existed in other people’s lives, but I did not expect to be happening to my peers,” said the 22-year-old şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ą senior who has lived in Orlando since she was 5.

“This really opened my eyes and it made me realize that I’d like to help people have their needs met. These past couple of years, there have been a lot of social-justice movements and issues that have been getting time in the spotlight and I love seeing people get together to advocate for a cause. It has also made me more aware of the micro aggressions, discrimination and limitations placed on minorities.”

Soon after Tejada told her college plans to her parents – a public school “cafeteria lady” and a restaurant cook in south Orlando – the news seemed to also ignite an educational spark in them, too.

“My mother would take me to as many Upward Bound events and workshops as she could,” she said. “Once I started going to college, my father would brag to his coworkers and friends about how his first-born is studying hard and would graduate with a college degree.”

At first she said she had no examples or knowledge about college.

“I didn’t know what a college campus looked like, what college life was like, how to apply for college, what a scholarship, grant and loan were, and so many other things about college,” she said. But the Upward Bound workshops and out-of-state conferences opened her eyes to what would be possible at UCF.

Tejada next earned her AA at Valencia College and used the DirectConnect to UCF program to transition to the university. The program guarantees admission to UCF with an associate degree from one of the university’s partner state colleges.

She said she chose UCF because she wanted to stay close to home and help her family. She lives with her mother and two sisters, one of whom is a high-functioning autistic 20-year-old with ADHD.

“My mother works two jobs, so there’s really no time for her to relax and take care of things in the household or my youngest sister,” Tejada said.

She also works as a student assistant in the campus TRiO office, which helps prepare low-income/potential first-generation college students for successful entry and retention in post-secondary education. One of her responsibilities is providing campus tours for TRiO programs that visit from other colleges and universities.

“She does a fantastic job shepherding the groups across campus,” said Rebekah McCloud, director of the TRiO programs in Student Development and Enrollment Services. ”She deftly intersperses her story as a first-generation college student into the narrative about UCF. She generously shares what she didn’t know about going to college, what she learned and what she wished she had known.”

Working in the office, Tejada said, has helped build her confidence to talk to people and gain skills in time management, social engagement, business, networking, public speaking and presentation.

Also during her time on campus she has become a LEAD scholar, UCF Cares ambassador, a member of the Bachelors of Social Work Student Association, and has participated in Volunteer UCF opportunities and events.

In addition to all her on-campus activities, she is interning with the Orlando Youth Advocate Program Inc., which provides children the opportunity to develop and be of value to their community. The program connects youths with caring adults and provides opportunities for them to assume leadership roles and learn healthy behaviors.

“We hold activities for children in the program that help them understand that there are other ways we can react to a stressful situations and how to be able to avoid conflict,” she said.

Despite all her many activities, she said she’s “not as involved as I would have liked to be, but I feel that I have done the most that I could with the time and energy that I had.”

She now plans to graduate this spring with a bachelor’s degree in social work.

After graduation she plans to work in the social-work field for three to five years to gain experience and then pursue a master’s degree once she knows what specialization she would like to focus on.

“She has blossomed into a very capable young woman,” said McCloud in the TRiO office. “She is always a helper, always a listener, and now she is ready to step into a career as a social worker. She is bound to make a difference in the world.”

During the event, students were able to evaluate the fit of their personal attributes and abilities with their intended career path, and attended workshops on gaining job experience before graduation and graduate/professional school options.

The academy also featured skill development for networking and elevator pitches offered by UCF Career Services. Students applied these skills during a networking event with more than 35 industry professionals. During a reception sponsored by the Central Florida Research Park Incubator, students connected with physicians, scientists, engineer, and entrepreneurs representing a variety of STEM fields.

“The event provided our students a glimpse at the professional world they will soon join and an opportunity to connect with individuals that are where they aspire to be,” said Amy Bickel, assistant director of PRIME STEM. The success stories of internship interviews, professional mentorship and potential job opportunities are already coming in less than a week after the event, she said.

The PRIME STEM program is designed to increase college retention and graduation rates of first-generation college students, those who are low income or have disabilities, and are pursuing science, technology, engineering or mathematics degrees at UCF. It is a federally funded TRiO program and has been at UCF since 2010.

The 2015-16 PRIME STEM cohort is 86 percent first generation and 73 percent first-generation and low-income. For these students they are not only the first in their families to attend college, but they are often the first to hold a professional position and this is one of the factors that impacts their employment rates post-graduation.

The STEM Career Academy builds on PRIME STEM’s goals and aims to prepare students for the STEM workforce. The hope is that this targeted intervention will mediate the number of first-generation students who graduate but are not employed or under-employed, by boosting career readiness and skill development before they start the job search.

Though this was the pilot year for the STEM Career Academy, the strong industry support and student interest likely will help bring back the program again.

Nicolas Bolanos, a junior majoring in computer science, said: “The STEM Career Academy provided me with great tools to understand my career choices, support offered to me and ways to get involved at UCF.”

The program offers academic support services and resources to assist PRIME STEM scholars to successfully complete a STEM degree. As an advocate for access to higher education, PRIME STEM/Student Support Services is committed to providing the support necessary to empower participants in developing and achieving academic goals. PRIME is an acronym that means Purpose + Reach = Individuals Measured for Excellence.

The program has been very successful since its inception in 2010.:

Program Director Rebekah McCloud attributes the program’s success to an amazing staff and the comprehensive programming provided to participants. “We do everything from helping students to select courses, consider career options, find internships, prepare for interviews, engage in extracurricular activities, create budgets and set goals. Additionally, we provide peer mentoring and individualized tutoring.”

PRIME STEM/Student Support Services is the only STEM program on campus that supports students from freshman through senior year.

National TRiO Day brings awareness to the continuing needs of low-income and first generation students and the thousands of student lives TRiO programs have changed. This year marked the 50th anniversary of the legislation which established the federally funded TRiO programs. The UCF PRIME STEM Program/Student Support Services celebrated National TRiO Day by hosting 50 visitors, students, staff and faculty at a recent reception (sponsored in part by Fairwinds Credit Union) where the City of Orlando presented PRIME STEM Program with a Proclamation.

The reception provided an overview of the TRiO grant programs offered at UCF and the accomplishments of Student Support Services scholars enrolled in the program.

The event highlighted student accomplishments during the 2013-14 academic year. Outstanding Achievement Awards were given to 11 students who earned (4.0-3.6) grade point averages and Merit Awards were awarded to 22 students who earned grade point averages between (3.5-3.0). Outstanding Service Awards and Financial Literacy Awards were presented to 10 scholars. Also, the program recognized outstanding Peer Mentors and Peer Tutors at the event.

Mike Nichola, grant coordinator for Congressman Grayson’s office, was present for the event. He gave special recognition to scholars who demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and leadership by presenting PRIME STEM scholars with Congressional Awards from Congressman Grayson’s office. Thirteen scholars who were presented Congressional Awards were recognized on the UCF dean’s List and President’s Honor Roll this year.

PRIME STEM staff recognized SDES staff and UCF departments. Friends of TRiO Awards were presented to staff that support the goals and mission of TRiO programs at UCF.

The UCF Student Support Services program provides academic advising, mentoring, tutoring, financial literacy instruction and assistance in locating various university resources. Students receive assistance applying for financial aid and scholarships, as well as, graduate and professional schools. Students enrolled in Student Support Services persist, advance, and graduate at higher rates than similar students not enrolled in the program. The program which began in 2010, to date has served 198 students and has graduated 59.

“Peer Mentors create a spirit of teamwork in our program by involving our scholars, staff and the UCF campus community” according to Rebekah McCloud, project director.

The goal of SSS is to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants. Peer mentors are trained in their role and responsibilities. However, PRIME STEM staff wanted to expand their efforts and offer our peer mentors certification credentials and extensive training. This is a new perspective and opportunity to attract highly motivated mentors into the program and secure greater student and faculty confidence in our services.

PRIME STEM is in the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services. The PRIME STEM Peer Mentoring Project is CRLA certified until March 2014. For additional information, contact Student Development and Enrollment Services TRiO Center at 407.823.4165.

The showcase demonstrates to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the greater Central Florida community that student research builds upon and enriches the UCF undergraduate experience.

Natasha Mitchell, coordinator for Academic Support Services for the PRIME STEM Project, noted that she is pleased to work with such a focused, motivated and amazing group of scholars and peer mentors who are pursuing careers in research in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

“Our PRIME STEM scholars and peer mentors are the leaders, scientists, researchers, and engineers of tomorrow and they are ready to face any challenge that they might face,” said Mitchell. 

The UCF PRIME STEM Project/Student Support Services is part of the TRiO program funded by the U.S. Department of Education and is housed in the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services.

UCF is one of several Florida schools to receive the TRIO-Student Support Services (SSS) award for the 2010-2014 cycle. The SSS grant is awarded to “institutions of higher education to provide opportunities for academic development, assist students with basic college requirements, and to motivate students toward the successful completion of their postsecondary education.”

UCF already has the TRIO-Upward Bound grant which prepares 9-12th graders for access to postsecondary education; and the TRIO-McNair grant which prepares undergraduate juniors and seniors for postgraduate education. It has been a longtime goal of the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services (SDES) to add the middle component, the TRIO-SSS, to enhance our SDES retention and progression programs.

Per the Department of Education, the goals of SSS are to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants. All SSS projects must provide: academic tutoring, assist students with information on both the full range of student financial aid programs, benefits and resources for locating public and private scholarships; and assistance in completing financial aid applications; provide education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy and assist students in applying for admission to graduate and professional programs; and assist students enrolled in two-year institutions applying for admission to, and obtaining financial assistance for, enrollment in four-year programs.

The SSS projects may also provide “individualized counseling for personal, career, and academic information, activities, and instruction designed to acquaint students with career options; exposure to cultural events and academic programs; mentoring programs; and securing temporary housing during breaks for students who are homeless youths and students who are in foster care or are aging out of the foster care system.”

In fall 2010, UCF initiated the PRIME STEM project which will provide this support for five years assisting  120 eligible students enrolled in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) majors at UCF. TRIO defines eligibility using a low-income, first generation, and/ or students with disabilities formula.

SDES staff DeLaine Priest, associate vice president, and Patricia Pates, director, Research, Grants and Evaluation, provided leadership for the proposal writing efforts that resulted in this UCF award and are extremely gratified to see the fulfillment of this long-time goal. PRIME STEM Project will be housed in Howard Phillips Hall under the supervision of Priest.