Change Starts Here

By Herb Frazier With two master’s degrees on his resume, Summerville resident Magellan T. Mambou is pursuing dual associate degrees at Trident Technical College because he wants a challenge beyond just teaching high school and college students. For 25 years, Mambou has taught math in South Carolina and in his native Cameroon. A message from a TED Talks presenter, however, led him to imagine a different path. The opportunity to do just that came when he learned about a scholarship named for 19th century attorney, journalist and diplomat Archibald Grimké and funded annually by the Magnolia Plantation Foundation. Mambou is in the first year of a two-and-a-half year plan to earn associate degrees in network systems management and cybersecurity.  “I am trying to work extra so I can finish on time,” he said recently, sitting in the shade of towering oaks at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens . “I decided to go back to school to do something that is fun and do something that could...

Like many young people, it took some time for Maraleius Birdsong to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. He left Ft. Dorchester High School before graduating and moved back to his hometown in Indiana to stay with his grandmother. He worked, bought a car and got an apartment. Later, he moved back to North Charleston and earned his GED. He enrolled at Trident Tech in the fall of 2011. While delivering pizza to pay for school, he took classes to pursue his goal of becoming an electrical engineer. Maraleius was a good student and often helped his fellow students outside of class. His dream was to work for a large company in the area like Bosch, Boeing or GE.  Chuck Ackland, who was the coordinator of the Electrician: Automation and Industrial program at the time, said the program was challenging and had an enrollment which tended to get smaller as the semester went on.  Ackland noticed something unique about Birdsong right away. “He always sat front-row center," he said...

The  Charleston Regional Youth Apprenticeships  (CRYA) program celebrated career education with hundreds of students, business leaders, educators, and funders at Signing Day 2021. The event was held on Thursday, July 29, at the College Center on TTC’s Thornley Campus in North Charleston. Former CNA/pre-nursing youth apprentice Kevin Boyd shares a laugh with Dr. Thornley reflecting on his time working at Roper St. Francis Hospital as a young high school student aspiring to attend medical school. He is currently a student at Duke University.   Signing Day 2021 recognized the eighth signing class of over 70 new youth apprentices from the tricounty area, with many more still being hired for the 2021-22 academic school year. The event, sponsored by RegionsBank , began with opening remarks from TTC President, Dr. Mary Thornley. It was highlighted by a panel discussion facilitated by Dr. Thornley with four current and former...

Education feels out of reach for so many, even at an institution as affordable as Trident Technical College. Although approximately 80% of TTC students receive federal financial aid, many still struggle to afford post-secondary education. That's where TTC Foundation Scholarships come in. Last year, more than 400 students received $428,000 in scholarships, and this year we are poised to award even more scholarships. Keith Rumrill, Director of Development, manages the scholarship program and says that when someone asks about funding a scholarship, they are often surprised at how little it takes. "Scholarship donors quickly recognize the impact they can make with as little as $1,000, which would fund an award for one year or $500 for a semester," he said.  Scholarships financially assist students with tuition, fees, equipment and books, even if they are receiving other aid.  As we read the thank you letters of grateful students, we are reminded of the other significant, oft...

Bill and Jeanne Hall with Chef Frank Lee.  The Charleston community experienced a significant loss when restaurateur Bill Hall suddenly passed away last year. But the legacy that he created lives on. A leader in the community, long-time Trident Technical College Foundation Trustee and supporter of TTC, Bill Hall and his family opened their first restaurant, Halls Chophouse, in downtown Charleston in 2009. Since then, the Halls Restaurant Group, now with eight restaurants, has become synonymous with true hospitality and well-known for its exceptional food, welcoming atmosphere and attention to detail. The Hall Management Group  hires more  Culinary Institute of Charleston  (CIC) students and apprentices than any other business in Charleston. Dean Michael Saboe had the privilege of working closely with the Hall family for the last 10+ years.  “The Charleston hospitality community is a better place because of Mr. Hall’s vision and philanthropic su...

On May 13, 1964, a dedication ceremony was held for the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Technical Center, part of a statewide system designed to meet the educational and training needs of South Carolina. The center opened with two buildings, 226 students and programs in industrial and engineering technology. Fifty-seven years later, Trident Technical College boasts five campuses, more than 150 programs of study and 12,000 students, providing quality education and promoting economic development in the Lowcountry. In celebration of the day TTC opened its doors, the college held its very first Giving Day on Thursday, May 13, 2021 raising more than $11,000 to support students. Trident Tech students work hard to provide a better life for themselves and their families. Many work and take classes full-time while raising a family, and some are also taking care of elderly parents or other family members. And because half of Trident Tech students are first-generation college students, they of...

Trident Technical College held its first socially distanced commencement ceremony on Friday, May 7 at the North Charleston Coliseum. Colleges and universities typically invite their highest academic achievers - the valedictorians and salutatorians - to speak at graduation.  At Trident Technical College, it's about more than just a GPA. Each year, two graduates are chosen through an audition process for the coveted speaker spots. Students are asked to prepare a four-minute reflection about what brought them to TTC, their educational journey, obstacles they faced and how their TTC experience contributed to their success. A panel of student leaders, with oversight from faculty and staff, rate the candidates on content, organization, language and delivery. The winners then work with public speaking instructors to polish their skills. Over the years, a number of TTC graduates have stood on the coliseum stage and expressed their personal stories of hopes, dreams, stumbles and victo...