Ouachita Stories

Once a year Ouachita Baptist University’s TRIO Educational Talent Search and Upward Bound programs collaborate to host TRIO Family Day. Event leaders invite students from both programs along with their parents to Ouachita’s campus to experience the college atmosphere and answer any questions they may have. Family Day will be held Oct. 2 at 9:30 a.m. in McBeth Recital Hall.

“The event lets our new TRIO families actually see Ouachita’s campus,” said Terrence Carter, OBU’s director of Upward Bound. “It’s a lot like a preview day for them.”

Family Day is designed to give parents the opportunity to ask questions about their child’s education and see first hand what life is like on OBU’s campus. Representatives from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education and Arkansas Student Loan Authority will speak, and students and their families are invited to eat lunch in the Ouachita Commons following the program.

“Everything that we do all year round is aimed toward getting these students college-ready,” Carter said.

Educational Talent Search and Upward Bound are federally funded TRIO programs that serve sixth through 12^th grade students in the surrounding region, representing more than 20 school districts. The two programs draw students from different areas but target the same demographic: students from low-income homes, students who are potential first-generation college students or students with other specific needs.

For Upward Bound, Family Day will take the place of their monthly meeting. For Talent Search students, the day is an added opportunity for parents to come to campus.

“Parents are always welcome to come, but they are specifically encouraged to come on Oct. 2,” Carter said.

OBU students who serve as mentors for the programs will be helping with Family Day by giving their personal testimonies about college as well as providing campus tours.

“The mentors’ mission is to try and help the students get a feel for what college is really like,” Carter said. “They are integral to our entire program.”

For more information, contact Terrence Carter at [email protected].