Thirty-five GEAR UP juniors from Atoka High School recently traveled to Denison, TX, to tour Grayson College. Assistant Director of Enrollment Management Derek DeYonge greeted the students and encouraged them to look for new opportunities since this was their first visit to Grayson College.

The tour began in the Center for Workplace Learning Auditorium, where DeYonge gave a brief overview of the college with information about admissions, programs, certifications, and degrees. He discussed out-of-state tuition and how financial aid such as scholarships and FAFSA can offset that cost. Students were allowed a question-and-answer session after the presentation concluded.

After the introduction, students took a walking tour of the campus, where they visited Health Sciences, Industrial Technologies, and Culinary Arts. Students had the opportunity to explore the athletic facilities, dorms, library, and cafeteria. The college provides free tutoring services and particular placement for students who may need additional help. Recruiters reminded students that two hours studying in the library is worth five hours of studying in the dorms.

Before leaving the campus, students were reminded to begin preparing for college now and to consider a smaller college before heading to a large university.

The field trip was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP program. Eastern received a $17 million federal GEAR UP grant in 2017 and will serve more than 3,000 students in 39 area schools for seven years.