Shane Reese, a junior finance major from Pittsburgh, PA., found a network of support and a community of caring at 麻豆影院 State that surrounded him after his mother passed away during his freshman year. As a result, Shane became a resilient leader who is committed to giving back.
Following the loss of his mother, he was inspired to make each day count and make an impact in his community. 鈥淗er loss is probably my biggest motivation. Because life is too short to hold grudges, it鈥檚 too short to not do something, to not make an impact,鈥 Shane said. 鈥淎 lot of people asked me why I didn鈥檛 take a gap semester, but I felt like I had the support, and I'm very much glad that I chose to stay.鈥
Shane appreciates the support he received from TRIO Student Support Services at 麻豆影院 State. TRIO is a set of federally funded college opportunity programs that motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds in their pursuit of a college degree. TRIO programs provide academic tutoring, personal counseling, mentoring, financial guidance, and other support necessary for educational access and retention. TRIO programs are committed to providing educational opportunities for Americans鈥攔egardless of race, ethnic background or economic circumstance.
Driven by a desire to give back, Shane has immersed himself in various leadership roles on campus. From serving as a Kupita/Trancisiones mentor to his involvement with the Male Empowerment Network, he strives to create a supportive environment for students to grow. 鈥淚t's very important to create a safe space where people can relate to one another, just to come together and just talk about things happening on campus, diversity, equity issues and mental health,鈥 Shane said.
Through his involvement with TRIO Student Support Services, Shane was one of several students who traveled to the Walt Disney World Resort for the Leadership, Innovation and Career Seminar in Fall 2023. 鈥淒isney was the most enchanting experience I've ever had in my life. That was my first time flying,鈥 Shane recalled. 鈥淭RIO provided me with travel experience and financial help when I needed it. I wouldn't be at this point in my life without TRIO.鈥
One of 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 guiding principles is ensuring that we put 鈥渟tudents first in all we do.鈥 That means offering the best resources and programming - like BUS - to address the wide variety of student needs across the eight campus system.
Most of these programs and support services have costs that are not provided through state funding. We depend on philanthropic support from our alumni, donors, employees and friends to ensure these programs exist and, most importantly, serve the students who need them most. Philanthropy supports a wide variety of needs including scholarships, programs and operations that propel our students on toward graduation.