The staff of the Educational Opportunity Center in their office on the Chattanooga State Community College campus on Thursday, July 18. From left: Tannaz Salehkhou, Zennia Nesmith, Donna Taheri, Dr. Keith Bridges, Vice Chancellor Stacy Lightfoot, Kimberly Davis, Esther Johnson and Robert Rooks. Photo by Angela Foster.
Deciding to attend college can be a massive decision; for many, it can be daunting. In many cases, people don’t even know where to start.
The Educational Opportunity Center, located on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus, is a 100% free program that provides counseling and information on college admissions to qualified adults who want to enter or continue a program of postsecondary education. The program also offers services to improve participants’ financial and economic literacy.
Founded in 1998 and funded by the United States Department of Education, the EOC was formed to serve aspiring students from underserved communities. It is one of eight federal outreach and student services programs, known as TRIO, designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Five of those programs can be found on the UTC campus: EOC, Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math/Science and Student Support Services.
UTC’s EOC provides services in 10 regional counties in Tennessee (Bledsoe, Grundy, Hamilton, Marion and Sequatchie) and North Georgia (Catoosa, Gordon, Murray, Walker and Whitfield).
Dr. Keith Bridges, director of the EOC, leads a team of 14 full-time and part-time employees to serve the surrounding area. Services include making house calls to meet prospective students about furthering their education.
Dr. Keith Bridges
Bridges and his team perform tests to see what areas may be of interest to pursue a career in, as well as fill out necessary forms like the FAFSA. These tests, he said, may show that trade schools or different types of schooling are the best option.
Bridges said these types of counseling opportunities are essential for students from underserved areas. He knows from first-hand experience.
“I lived and stayed in three of the lowest income, lowest educated zip codes in the inner city,” said Bridges, a native of Chattanooga. “None of my family members went to school. We didn’t know anybody that went to school. So I had to figure out how I could get to college.
“My mentors at Howard School during my senior year walked me step by step on how to get to college.”
The experience of someone who has been through the collegiate process before is invaluable for many who don’t know where to begin, according to UTC Vice Chancellor for Access and Engagement Stacy Lightfoot, and this is what the EOC provides to people looking to further their education.
“We are a public university, and we exist for the public good of this state and this community,” Lightfoot said. “I think the onus should be on a lot of institutions if they are so lucky to be so centrally located in a metropolitan area. So we’ve got the best of both worlds—UTC being in a metropolitan area, being surrounded by rural counties, and so close to a bordering state in Georgia.”
Bridges and his team have many responsibilities and a lot of ground to cover, he said. That doesn’t stop them from delivering this crucial service to the many who need it.
“It’s extremely fulfilling,” Bridges said. “We’ve had people come through the Education Opportunity Center from families that I know personally and also that my staff knows personally. Most members of our staff can relate to being a low-income, first-generation student and the first one going to college.”
He said one of the most rewarding experiences came during his first three months on the job. A grandmother was looking to continue her education to set an example for her grandchildren.
“There was an 83-year-old that was applying to go to school here—83 years old—and my first thing was, why? She wanted to set an example for her grandkid,” he reminisced. “She heard about the Education Opportunity Center on the radio.
“She came to our office and I just happened to be there. Her son and I spent four hours with her getting her enrolled because this is a new day and age (compared) to what she’s used to. She wasn’t too familiar with cell phones. She didn’t know how to send an email. So with her, I had to set up her cell phone and email and get her to apply for college online … But it was well worth it because she ended up finishing a 42-week course in office professional development.”
The University, Lightfoot said, has made it a point of emphasis to encourage adult learners to pursue education and provide pathways to help that goal. UTC ranks first in the state and 21st nationally in funding for participants through the EOC.
“We exist so people know that UTC cares about their path to college, the best-fit college, no matter where that is,” she said, “and I think that’s what the EOC represents as well. It also helps people get their GED so they can pursue their postsecondary dreams, and maybe they’ll end up at UTC.
“We want the public to know that we are here for the greater good of this community because we care about the health of this community, the health of this state and the health of the people who will be employed to take care of me when I get older.”
Learn More
UTC Educational Opportunity Center
Center for Community Career Education
Educational Opportunity Center photo gallery by Angela Foster
