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Trident Technical College - A Regional Pillar


2015 Future Alumni Essay Contest
Runner-Up
Donald Anderson Walls

Trident Technical College is the most versatile and necessary form of higher education currently serving Berkeley, Dorchester, and Charleston counties. As higher education becomes necessary for meaningful employment, the college has become the driver in a regional knowledge economy. Its academic divisions offer a range of programs for both future employment and further academic study at a four year college or university. It also holds inherent value as an institution where almost anyone can simply further their learning. In short, Trident Technical College is the pillar of my community and an important portion of my life as a student. Trident Technical College has assisted me with my goals, defined my post-graduation plans, and will command my support as a future alumnus.

Trident Technical College has assisted me in achieving my goal of a quality education in multiple ways. Firstly, Trident Technical College has provided me with talented and enthusiastic professors since I began learning there. Their professionalism and desire to provide additional assistance with convenience to their students underlines a culture of academic excellence. It is this commitment to their students which has yielded the most academically productive period of my career as a student. In addition to excellent professors, Trident Technical College has aided me as a student through their online academic systems. Resources such as the Student Portal and D2L provide out of class aid in a streamlined manner by which contact with professors, access to grades, and forums for discussions with other students can be achieved. Their online academic systems have also allowed my various mixed mode and online classes to be as productive as traditional classes while allowing for more flexibility with my time. On one last note, Trident Technical College has assisted me with my goals by providing me with numerous external resources. The Writing Center has provided timely and convenient appointments whenever I have needed assistance on an essay. Also, the various computer labs located around campus, distance learning programs, and well-stocked libraries remain functioning centers of research and productive areas for doing schoolwork. Trident Technical College’s combination of human and physical resources allow it to aid their students in achieving their goals. As for myself, without the college, I would not be able to achieve the academic goals I desire.

After I finish my studies at Trident Technical College, I plan on transferring to either the University of South Carolina at Columbia or the College of Charleston. I intend for the technical college to act as an affordable stepping stone for a bachelor’s degree. Because of Trident Technical College’s close proximity to my residence in Berkeley County, I will also be able to avoid the higher costs of a four year collegiate tuition, including room and board. This is not only economically sound, but also practical. This practicality stems from the fact that Trident Technical College offers a friendly environment to acclimate their students to the rigors of collegiate academics and responsibility before sending them off to face the daunting task of attending a four-year institution. In sum, I intend for Trident Technical College to act as an integral stepping stone for my academic journey, much like the other students I attend classes with.

Alumni have an obligation to support their academic institutions and the students following them. Once I graduate, I plan to fulfill my duty as an alumnus both financially and promotionally. First and foremost, I plan to contribute to the technical college through donations to the Trident Technical College Foundation. In addition to charitable giving, I plan to participate in the various events which the technical college provides for fundraising purposes. While I will contribute financially to the college, I plan to represent the technical college as a promoter for future prospective students. I will educate the next waves of students on the practicality and affordability of education through a technical college. As well as this, I will also communicate the often understated benefits of a Trident Technical College education. In sum, by contributing financially to the growth of the technical college and steering prospective students to enroll in its programs, I hope to fulfill my role as a model alumnus.

Trident Technical College provides much more than an education. Its students are provided with hope for a better tomorrow. The human and physical resources which the college provides allow students of all backgrounds to succeed in achieving their goals in a convenient manner. It also serves the community and myself as a platform for upward mobility and further academic study. Also, Trident Technical College remains a respected institution which not only promotes excellence, but also breeds a culture of academic progress. For these reasons, the college enjoys an active alumni base. Trident Technical College is my gateway to a better life, and continually inspires me to achieve greatness. Such high regard extends from me to my fellow students, the alumni of the college, and the community which it serves. This is why Trident Technical College holds such a special place in my heart and the region it has dutifully served for over fifty years.

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