RIRAL Transition to College Graduation

December 19, 2013   (Woonsocket, RI)

On
Thursday, December 19, RIRAL’s Transition to College (TTC) program graduated
ten non-traditional adult students from its college preparation program.  After months of academic preparation, these
students are now well-prepared for the rigors of college life. Woonsocket's
new Mayor, Lisa Baldelli-Hunt, presented Citations to each student from the
Rhode Island House of Representatives.

Dr.
Philip Less, Administrator of Adult Education at the Rhode Island Department of
Education, the keynote speaker, offered words of encouragement to the following
graduates: Dorota Budzyna, Khadidatou Cissoko, Maria Odete Cosme, Elizabeth
Gomes, Jonathan Navedo, Jorge Pemperty, Maria Pisarek, Jessica Reyes-Navedo,
Thomas Soe, and Lutisha Woodward.

Since
2000, TTC has offered more than 400 adult students a chance to increase the
odds of their being successful in college.  Working closely with the Community College of
Rhode Island, TTC provides an educational experience that further develops
students' academic and personal skills. It also builds confidence in their
ability to succeed in college and to achieve their career goals.

TTC
serves all Rhode Islanders, but most specifically those who live in the
Blackstone Valley.  It is a partner in
RIDE’s College and Career Transition Initiative for adults seeking academic
preparation and support prior to enrollment at CCRI. This outstanding program
has received recognition as a Promising Practice from the National College
Transition Network at World Education in Boston where our initial program
design was modeled. TTC is a participant in the 5-year longitudinal adult
learner persistence project at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth.

TTC is
a comprehensive program that includes: student success, career, and mentoring
workshops; academic instruction in reading, writing, and math; educational
advising and counseling, and assistance with the college application and
financial aid process.  While attending
TTC, students enroll for free in ENGL
0850 at CCRI. Upon completion of the program, they take the Accuplacer
assessment required by CCRI and register for their next college class.
Volunteer mentors provide perspective and personalized attention to graduates
as they transition into the academic world.

TTC meets at the
Woonsocket Learning Center 191 Social Street.    

For more
information, email  MarieCrecca-Romero@riral.org or call
401.762.3841.  Visit our
website: www.transitiontocollege.org

Find us on
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RIRALTTC