Skip to main content

New Laptop is a Game-Changer


When life throws you one challenge after another, you start to appreciate the small wins. 

For Trident Tech student Kristi Salvo, receiving a new laptop through the Student Urgent Needs (SUN) fund was a game-changer. 

Like students across the country, Salvo’s in-person classes were abruptly switched to an online format this spring due to COVID-19. But she knew her older computer couldn’t keep up with the online demands and she couldn't afford to buy a new one.

“I was already dealing with a lot and it felt like this was going to be the thing that would break me,” she said.

Salvo, a veteran of the US Air Force, struggles with health issues, including a back injury and a severe autoimmune disorder. In March, she and her husband separated, leaving her to juggle the responsibility of being a student, while also being a teacher to their two young children. All this, while trying to stay healthy and safe during a global pandemic.

After Salvo and her children moved into a smaller, more affordable apartment, she decided to change her major, rethinking her original plan to take business classes and transfer to a four-year college. She made the switch to a program that would allow her to graduate and begin her career much sooner, choosing to enroll in the Pharmacy Technician program.

Salvo said she immediately knew it was the right choice.

“It is a really cool program with great instructors, and it turned out to be the perfect fit for me,” she said.

But she was distraught when she realized she needed a new computer and didn’t know where to turn for help. She mentioned her predicament to an instructor, and he referred her to the TTC Foundation.

She learned about the Student Urgent Needs fund, which was formed in 2010 to assist students who have an unforeseen financial emergency that would otherwise prevent them from continuing their studies at Trident Tech.

Salvo was not going to be able to continue classes if she didn’t have a computer. With the help of Frank Morea, Director of Counseling, she applied.

Morea coordinates requests for the SUN fund, with referrals coming from faculty and staff as they encounter students who need assistance.

“Our students already face challenges, and the fund has helped many of them stay enrolled through the years. The current situation has created more challenges for students making it especially difficult to anticipate the need,” said Morea.

After her application was approved, Salvo became the first of 15 students to receive a new laptop through the SUN fund. The Foundation recently received a grant from the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina, specifically for the purchase of laptops for students in need of access to a reliable computer for coursework.

Salvo received her laptop just in time. She had just learned that her old computer would not work for a scheduled test.

“I still can’t believe the timing. I am so grateful to the TTC Foundation, Coastal Community Foundation and everyone who helped me,” said Salvo.

Make a gift to the TTC Student Urgent Needs Fund.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Path to Success

As the 11th of 14 children, Kathy Simmons knows what it’s like to be a part of a close-knit family. Which is exactly why she has made her way back to Trident Technical College 33 years after graduating in 1985. Kathy’s path back to TTC began with her desire to fulfill two goals – advance her education and travel – and she figured the best way to accomplish both was through the military. So Kathy joined the Air Force in 1987, and did indeed accomplish both goals. She received her Bachelor of Arts while stationed in Minot, North Dakota, her Master of Arts from Erskine Theological Seminary and she has completed 60 hours toward a Doctor of Education from Walden University. She saw much of the country and spent time overseas in Korea. After the military, Kathy found herself back at TTC in the Admissions and Registrar’s office, and it was there she realized she really wanted to stay in education and help students find success. But a wise mentor once told her that in order to advance

Alumna Living her Best Life

E arning a college degree is challenging enough. But for single parents, it can seem like an insurmountable feat. Costs like living expenses and childcare only add to the stress of paying tuition. Making time to study usually means waiting until after the kids are in bed, leading to added exhaustion and stress.  When Joyce Antonetty attended Trident Technical College as a single parent of two young children, she knew it would be difficult. But she was determined to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a Fitness Specialist.  “I wanted to help people become a healthier version of themselves,” says Joyce. Joyce had been down this road before. Like many Trident Tech students, she had attended a four-year college immediately after high school. But when she was waitlisted to enter the Physical Therapy program at MUSC, she postponed her dream in order to start a family.  Joyce's life took an unexpected turn when she went through a divorce in 2010. She held several resp