SCC Sciences Division to Host Seminar about Student Experiences in STEM Transfer Programs

As part of a series of science seminars, the Sciences Division of Surry Community College is hosting a talk regarding the experiences of alumni who transferred from SCC into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) programs at four-year colleges and universities.

Three SCC alumni will be on hand to share their experiences. This will be an opportunity for current students and interested persons from the community to hear contemporary perspectives and have an opportunity to ask questions.

The seminar will be held on Tuesday, November 14, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in room A-121 on SCC’s Dobson Campus. It is free and open to the public, employees, and students.

According to SCC Sciences Division Chair Jeff Jones, who has been instrumental in the science seminar series, “This science seminar will focus on STEM transfer experiences. I think it is crucial to expose students to opportunities in STEM and for students to hear firsthand from their contemporaries about their transfer experience – how SCC prepared them, highs and lows, different programs and careers, and more. Hearing and seeing peer successes has the potential to develop perspective on what is possible for our students.”

The alumni are Alex Moss of Pulaski, Va., Megan Stanley of Elkin, and Giseline Martinez of Dobson.

Moss graduated from SCC in 2019 with Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees and transferred to Radford University where he majored in Wildlife Biology. He is currently employed as a ranger at Claytor Lake State Park in Dublin, Va.

Moss said, “I think SCC prepared me very well for a higher level of education at Radford. My classes seemed easier at Radford because I was so prepared and attending SCC helped me learn to schedule my time well, also helping the whole four-year experience.”

Stanley graduated from SCC in 2012 with an Associate in Applied Science and was employed as a medical assistant. Four years later, she returned to SCC, graduating in 2018 with Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees, and then transferred to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree at the University of Florida in the Medical Physiology and Pharmacology Program and is employed at SCC as a tutor for anatomy and physiology.

Stanley says, “As a first-generation college student, I didn't know anything about FAFSA or loans, college applications, or how to appropriately plan and register for classes each semester. Without the mentorship and advice from SCC professors and the opportunities available to students at SCC, I wouldn't be where I am today. My mentors were approachable and available if I needed to ask questions about anything. They often went out of their way to encourage my success as a college student and cared about my overall well-being. Starting off in an environment like SCC is advantageous to future success at the university level. I want students to know that if I could do it, so can they.”

Martinez graduated from SCC with an Associate in Science degree in 2015 and transferred to Salem College in Winston-Salem where she majored in Biology. She is a Hamilton-Carter Scholarship recipient at Duke University, where she has been accepted into the Duke Physician Assistant Program for Fall 2024. Martinez says, “My time at Surry Community College fully prepared me for a successful transfer to Salem College. I am especially thankful for the instructors who encouraged me to believe in myself and that my career goals were attainable. I couldn't have done it without them!”

For more information about this seminar or more about STEM programs at SCC, contact Jeff Jones, Sciences Division Chair, at (336) 386-3391 or jonesjr@surry.edu.