By Ayla McDonald
Reporter
The Black Student SUCCESS Project, an educational resource program for Parkland students, entered into its 11th year last week.
The project was started 11 years ago by Donna Tanner-Harold, Director of the program and Parkland College Counselor of 18 years.
Having been involved with student programming ever since she began her career with Parkland College, Tanner-Harold began to organize program activities, workshops and seminars specifically geared towards addressing a problem she had begun to pay attention to, namely, lower retention, transfer, and graduation rates of African-American students.
In response to this problem, Tanner-Harold continued to organize academic-success related events until the Black Student SUCCESS Project was formalized in 2008.
The program has grown throughout the years, providing students with many resources important to their academic success and creating a community that encourages students on their academic journeys.
For Tanner-Harold, the goal of the Black Student SUCCESS Project is to provide a safe environment where students can feel free to speak honestly, to ask questions, and to connect with each other and with staff.
“Project meetings are formal but relaxed,” Tanner-Harold says. “They are a place where students can feel like their voice matters and is heard.”
In addition to its being a safe space, the Black Student SUCCESS Project provides rich educational opportunities for students to learn about resources available to them at Parkland and in the greater Champaign-Urbana community.
Student feedback is valued by the Black Student SUCCESS Project and has significant influence in determining what topics are explored for presentation and discussion. Student interests are an important aspect of the Project. Questions are encouraged and lead to the exploration of topics that students are curious about.
Some past seminar and discussion topics that the Project has focused on have been time management, money budgeting, relationships and police interactions.
“Decisions that students make now could affect the rest of their lives,” Tanner-Harold says. “I believe the Project gives students an opportunity to connect for growth, that it challenges their perspectives and gives them a new world view.”
Parkland faculty and staff have been very supportive and encouraging of the Black Student SUCCESS Project throughout the years.
“The wealth of knowledge and expertise right here at Parkland have been very good at lending their support to students in the program, and I am very appreciative of that,” Tanner-Harold says.
Many presenters to speak at the Black Student SUCCESS Project seminars this semester will be from the immediate academic community through Parkland College and the University of Illinois Extension program.
According to the Black Student SUCCESS Project posters, seminar meeting topics and speakers for this semester include:
“Sept. 12
YOUR PARKLAND LIBRARY
Jane Smith
Sept. 26
TIME MANAGEMENT
Angela Jancola
Oct. 10
YOU AND THE POLICE
Sgt. Matt Kopmann and Chief Bill Colbrook
Oct. 24
BUDGETING FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS
Kathy Sweedler (University of Illinois Extension)
Nov. 7
ACTIVE LISTENING AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Donna Tanner-Harold
Nov. 14
GIVING BACK
Tracy Dace”
The Black Student SUCCESS Project is open to all students of all backgrounds. Weekly meetings will be held every Wednesday during the Fall 2018 semester from 1-2pm in room U-140, with opportunities to win door prizes and always with free food – usually pizza.
As for Tanner-Harold, she plans to continue as Director of the Black Student Success Project until her retirement. She has high hopes that the project will continue to grow even after she leaves.
“A lot of work goes into planning this,” she says, “but I believe it’s worth it.”