Director helps students succeed in college

This archived article was written by: Carlie Golden

Dondra J. Nance was named CEU’s educational Opportunity Center coordinator. The Educational Opportunity Center is a place where first generation and low-income students get the help that they need to finish school
The Educational Opportunity Center is a sister program to the Student Support Services. Nance travels between Carbon and Emery and recruits different students to join the program. Once they have joined the program, she turns them over the Student Support Services and they assist them in finishing their education.
Also like the Student Support Services, the Educational Opportunity Center is at CEU to help students on a grant from the government. Nance works under a grant from Utah Valley State College but is working on the Price campus where she assists students in Carbon or Emery counties.
Nance is willing to help any student but encourages first generation, low income, Native American and veteran students to come get the help and counseling they need. She is involved with helping students from Carbon and Emery counties earn their GEDs. At this point she is mainly helping those students in Green River and Castle Dale working to receive a GED.
As the coordinator of this program she works throughout the two counties to help students gain admission into any Utah college or university.
Nance graduated from University of Utah as a nontraditional student with a bachelor of science degree in marketing. She went on to work at food banks throughout the state, which was how she was able to get the experience she needed to fill this position.
The services her program provides are academic, educational and financial advising. They are able to help with personal skills, counseling including budgeting, child care referrals, time management and study skills. Also they work with career exploration services and occupational interest assessment services. They are also interested in coordinating support services in the community and the college, vocational or technical school of their choice. Nance helps students with their financial aid and scholarships.
Along with all of this responsibility, Nance is the staff chair for the Non-Traditional Center club. She realizes that it is hard for nontraditional students to get back into school and that is what she is here for, to help those students get back into school and finish. There is a link on the CEU web site that tells more about the program.
On the web page it tells the different programs that they run, what the Educational Opportunity Center is about, and lets students know how to receive financial funding for school, and how students can prepare to return to college after a long break.
There are also other links that may be helpful in the search for the right school. Students can reach one of the coordinators in their area by logging on to www.ecu.edu, click on students, then on Educational Opportunity Center.