MERGE Inc. sent out the itinerary for its upcoming Road to Success College Tour this week–and it’s our biggest trip yet! On July 24, a group of high school students will begin a five-day journey to visit 10 college campuses in Florida. I always get nostalgic when it’s time for another college tour. I reminisce about how a campus visit changed my life. It was the start of my amazing journey to adulthood.
During a campus visit to Florida State University almost 15 years ago, I discovered what college had to offer. This visit was a part of an extended stay in Tallahassee, Florida so I was able to learn my way around campus. When I started college at FSU in the fall, it felt like home. I earned a bachelor’s degree but I also built lifelong friendships, met my college sweetheart (who is now my husband), and landed my first full-time job working at FSU. My connection to my alma mater grew from the knowledge and experiences it afforded me as a student. This came full circle when my husband and I relocated to Tampa to continue his career at a school started by an FSU alum. We left Tallahassee with a college education, growing careers, and a family!
My commitment to the education I received at FSU clearly extends beyond what I learned in the classroom. Some people have strong commitments to their alma mater because of sports, or form a bond through fond memories developed during their college years. Or, it can simply be important to a person because it’s where they earned a college degree. I gained a lifetime of valuable experiences, became a part of a broad network, and created lasting relationships. This collegiate journey stirred my passion for educational opportunity. My committment to helping students succeed in college is embedded in MERGE Inc.
And it all started with a college visit.
You can give students a life-changing experience. You can invest in something that will not lose value. That something is experience.
A Road to Success College Tour is more than a regular campus visit. MERGE works with students to help them explore opportunities and understand their options for higher education. Students learn how to connect their college dreams to their career goals. To learn more about MERGE, visit our www.MERGEtoSuccess.org and find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. To make a donation, go here: https://collegetour2016.eventbrite.com
