SRR STEPS participating in "College Knowledge Month"

Through October, STEPS students had the opportunity to tour five community and four-year colleges in Central MN.

An important aspect of the STEPS program is helping students develop a post-graduation plan. Over 30 students participated; nearly 50% of all STEPS students attended at least one tour. Campus visits allowed students to see not just the grounds, but to observe state-of-the-art facilities that make each college stand out. Students met instructors in a variety of fields and sometimes observed students in the middle of hands-on learning labs, which gave them a small taste of the college experience.

The five schools toured were

• Central Lakes College Staples
• CLC Brainerd
• St. Cloud Technical and Community College
• St. Cloud State University
• Alexandria Technical College

Tours were often catered to students’ interests and covered programs such as Business, Construction, Welding, HVAC, Automotive, Education, Engineering, Psychology, Health Care, and others. During the tours, students asked questions regarding admissions, cost, specific programs, and job placement. Several students put their applications in, as application fees are waived at most MN institutions in October for College Knowledge Month.

At Staples, students were impressed with the Heavy Equipment Site. After visiting both SCTCC and Alex Tech, one student particularly interested in welding found themself choosing between the two programs. Also at Alex Tech, the Law Enforcement Program appealed to many students. In addition to academic programs, activities stood out as well. One student noted that Alex Tech had a competitive eSports team, Legends. The wide variety of activities offered on any given day at SCSU excited STEPS students; a cooking competition involving Halloween desserts was taking place during the time of the campus visit. As the only four-year college included, students were impressed by SCSU’s sprawling campus, academic opportunities, sports complexes, and campus life.

Throughout the tours, students found a lot to be excited about. One student set up a second campus visit so she could learn more about the HVAC program at SCTCC. Another student was surprised to find himself interested in a college he’d never considered. After being on campus, he shared his enthusiasm, “I could really see myself going here!”

Few additional pictures here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZifU78DmBoBd3ZZHOC_LWJR1PciVUco9/view?usp=sharing