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On a warm South Mississippi morning, 16 women from varied backgrounds, met each other for the first time at the college’s Jefferson Davis Campus and discovered their common bonds. They were all mothers or caregivers, who had lost the way to their dreams just trying to navigate through life’s challenges. They had always desired to do more with their talents, but lacked the economic freedom to break free from their paths. Their similar paths brought them to a new opportunity, a second chance, to achieve their goals without sacrificing their responsibilities through a pilot program called the Dream of Prosperity. The aim of the project is to provide participants with the financial assistance and support system to complete a one- or two-year degree at MGCCC and prepare for a meaningful career. The pilot project was created by the college and is being funded through a $305,000 grant from the Knight Foundation’s Community Partners Program. As Angela Stokes looked over her three-ringed orientation binder it was easy to see her anticipation and excitement grow with the turn of each page. She is a single mother of three children who wants to put hope and promise back in her life – and theirs. “I thank God from allowing me to get into this program. I had lost the hope I was going to make something out of my talents. The program name is right, it is a Dream of Prosperity we all want, and I’m going to work as hard as I can to make it come true for me and my family.” Dream of Prosperity is more than just financial aid. The two-year project will assist participants, known as the “Dream Team”, in overcoming the barriers keeping qualified individuals from receiving the education they need for today’s job market. Each participant receives up to $5,000 a year in assistance along with individual support through career counseling, mentoring and tutoring. “I had a lot of obstacles come my way and have attempted to attend school in the past. I’ve faced the worse and now there’s a light at the end of the road,” recipient Fabian Harris said, “and I’m going to make it. Classes are nothing compared to what I’ve faced. This is a blessing to me. ” Anna Faye Kelley-Winders, the project’s organizer and vice president of MGCCC Community Campus, explained, “These funds are in addition to other scholarships and federal tuition grants. The funds fill in the gaps and cover expenses such as supplies, professional uniforms, cafeteria costs, gasoline, childcare and workbooks.” Gulf Coast, the Knight Foundation and the Gulf Coast Community Action Agency (GCCAA) introduced the first 16 members of the Dream Team on Aug. 20, at the college’s JD Campus. Just three days later, these participants started the first week of classes for the fall semester. Dr. Willis Lott, Gulf Coast President, says the Dream of Prosperity project embodies the spirit of the parable - give someone a fish and you feed them for a day, but teach them to fish and you feed them for a lifetime. “This project gives these individuals a lifetime of benefits through a real career. The positive effect will spread out to their families and beyond into our entire community,” Lott said. Over the summer, MGCCC and GCCAA selected the individuals to take part in the Dream of Prosperity program. The participants chosen range from 23 to 36 years-old. Most are single parents, with up to six children, who are seeking financial self-sufficiency for their families. “Our committee was so impressed with the ability as well as the initiative demonstrated by several tearful mothers wanting to make a better life for their children,” Kelley-Winders said.
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 © 2003 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Last Modified: September 7, 2004 4:21 PM Email Webmaster: keith.lee@mgccc.edu |
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