Latest news with #DestineeBritto
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
TSC student body president, Trinidad native graduates after 'big change,' leadership roles
Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, Tallahassee State College graduate Destinee Britto struggled to find where she would fit in during her accelerated academic journey after moving to the capital city. But what started as the decision to grasp the opportunity of serving as class president in high school led to her drive to secure the student body president role at TSC, which – as of May 1 – she calls her alma mater. 'It was a big change coming from Trinidad, but it opened up so many new opportunities,' 18-year-old Britto told the Tallahassee Democrat. 'At first, it was overwhelming adjusting to a new school system and culture, but I quickly found ways to get involved and make my voice heard, especially through student leadership and service.' TSC's 2024 graduation: TSC fall commencement to mark the college's first graduating class since its renaming Britto, who served as TSC's Student Government Association president this past year, recently crossed the stage as part of the college's spring 2025 graduating class during the Thursday commencement ceremony at the Tucker Civic Center. The next stop on her journey is Florida State University, where she plans to double major in sports management and political science. But the road to Britto's latest achievement of graduating was not an easy one. While she says life in the beautiful Trinidad and Tobago – a dual-island country in the Caribbean – allowed her to be 'surrounded by a vibrant culture, close-knit community and strong family ties,' she faced challenges such as starting high school at 11 years old in the home country. 'I was navigating a lot at a young age," Britto said. "Still, I'm grateful for those early years because they gave me a strong foundation in resilience and drive." When Britto's family moved to Tallahassee in 2021, she took that resilience and drive with her when she attended Rickards High School and served as class president before graduating in 2023 and enrolling at TSC. 'Being 16, I knew that I needed a place that would be able to help me grow, a place that was affordable and a place where I'd be close to my family,' Britto said. 'I got all three by being at TSC.' Through Britto's role as student body president, she says she created more opportunities for incoming students to get involved by establishing several committees through SGA and creating a couple freshmen-only positions after hearing concerns from students who wanted to get more engaged. 'To me, being SGA president really just means it was in my court to hear student voices,' Britto said. 'It isn't just about having that title or being able to throw an event, it's about doing what's best for the students.' Besides SGA, Britto was involved with campus organizations such as TSC's Black Student Union and International Student Organization as well as FSU's Caribbean Student Association, where she served as one of its public relations chairs through the ASPIRE TSC2FSU transfer program. In addition, Britto is one of eight students in the country to have been selected in February as a 2025 DREAM Scholar, where the program offers students an opportunity to develop leadership, critical thinking and networking skills. While Britto's time at TSC consisted of several achievements and accomplishments, she says her support system – which includes TSC's Student Life Manager Deidra Green, who is also the college's SGA advisor – played a significant role in her success. 'I'm just extremely proud to have witnessed her reach her goal of not only being the SGA president, but being the first one of Tallahassee State College and doing such an amazing job to begin a legacy with our name change," Green said. "A lot of her peers obviously look up to her, but just seeing the culmination of all her hard work over the past two years has been amazing to witness." As Britto gears up to attend FSU, her career goal is to become a sports lawyer with a focus on immigration law. "It's very sad to be leaving TSC because I know the opportunities that it has opened for me, but I know it has also opened doors for me at Florida State,' Britto said. 'I'm very excited and look forward to seeing what I'm going to do over at FSU with the confidence that I have gained here.' Tarah Jean is a reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at tjean@ Follow her on X: @tarahjean_. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: TSC SGA president, Trinidad native graduates after challenging journey
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Achieving the Dream announces 8 community college students as 2025 DREAM Scholars
Feb. 6—SILVER SPRING, Md. — Achieving the Dream, a national organization committed to advancing community colleges as accessible hubs of learning, credentialing, and economic mobility, has announced that eight students who attend ATD Network community colleges, including Odessa College, have been selected as 2025 DREAM Scholars. Included among them are one Tribal College and University student; one student from a college within the South African Siyaphumelela Network; and one student from the Gateway to College program. The Scholars, chosen through a competitive application process, will receive tailored leadership development and networking opportunities. At DREAM 2025, this year's annual ATD convening to be held in Philadelphia later this month, the DREAM Scholars will share their inspirational stories, offer recommendations on how to best support today's community college students, and highlight their personal and professional aspirations, a news release said. The 2025 DREAM Student Scholars are: — Sonny Alaniz — Odessa College (Texas) — Destinee Britto — Tallahassee State College (Florida) — Heidi Counelis — Gateway to College Program at Mott Community College (Michigan) — Bradley Gawie — Central University of Technology (Bloemfontein, South Africa) — Diego Perez Lopez — San Jacinto College (Texas) — Warren Miller — College of Menominee Nation (Wisconsin) — Isaac Njoroge — Community College of Baltimore County (Maryland) — Rashiadah Weaver — Cuyahoga Community College (Ohio) During DREAM, the scholars will meet with community college leaders and attend sessions focused on improving student success. Their experience includes individual presentations through which they will share what they have learned during the week, while providing additional insight about how their ATD Network institution works to improve student success and completion and to drive social and economic mobility. Additionally, each 2025 DREAM Scholar will receive a scholarship to support their educational or personal journey. "ATD congratulates the 2025 DREAM Scholars, all of whom are dynamic students who have overcome tremendous obstacles to become leaders at their colleges and in their communities," Francesca I. Carpenter, director of equitable programming and inclusive learning at Achieving the Dream, said in the release. "Each year, the cohort of DREAM Scholars brings a fresh perspective on the student experience. This year's DREAM Scholars are pursuing degrees ranging from computer science to pre-law, while also using their voices to advocate for members of their community with similar backgrounds. Their past challenges are the driving force for their future success. Their experiences have shaped them into the environmental, community, and social justice activists they are today." "At Achieving the Dream, we believe that student voices are essential in telling the story of community colleges," Karen A. Stout, Achieving the Dream's president and CEO, said in the release. "The voices of these eight remarkable scholars highlight the limitless ways that community colleges transform the lives of not only their students but their students' families and communities. Having persevered through a myriad of challenges, our DREAM Scholars have flourished at their respective postsecondary institutions. Their leadership and drive to lift others up stand as a testament to the power of a community college education." The DREAM Student Scholars program is an experiential learning opportunity for community college students designed to enhance leadership, critical thinking, and networking skills. In addition to the scholars' learning experience, the program integrates dynamic student voices into Achieving the Dream's annual DREAM conference. The program is funded by private gifts from ATD Network members, ATD employees, coaches, board members, and partners and friends of ATD.
