OSU-OKC student learns to soar with help of Oklahoma’s Promise
An OSU-OKC student who has been involved with SOAR and President’s Leadership Class says he has Oklahoma’s Promise to thank, at least in part, for his success.
Oklahoma's Promise offers qualified Oklahoma students an opportunity to earn a scholarship for college tuition.
At OSU-OKC, Remigio has been studying applied technologies with the goal of eventually getting a degree in mechanical engineering.
“Oklahoma’s Promise has helped me with paying for college, but it's also helped me build a connection and live the college experience that I would not have had if I did not have the support of Oklahoma’s Promise,” Remigio said.
Remigio has also worked with Project SOAR, a TRIO Student Support Services program that stands for Students Overcoming Academic Roadblocks. Among its targeted students are those that are first-generation college students.
“SOAR is a program that helps student with pretty much everything,” Remigio said. “SOAR can help you with tutoring, learning new life skills, building connections with people outside of school just overall building you up for success.”
Remigio is also part of OSU-OKC’s President’s Leadership Class, which he said helped engage him with the community.
“PLC is great at building people for the future,” he said. “I went from somebody who didn't care about the community and the people around me to wondering what we as students can do to make communities better, make our college better, (and) be supportive in more ways than one.”
Remigio was born and raised in Oklahoma to parents who were originally from Mexico.
“After the tour I did (at OSU-OKC), the environment and faculty were just very nice,” Remigio said. “Even though I had no idea what I was doing, faculty did not make me feel isolated or alienated despite being my first time going to a college.”
Remigio praised his sister as an inspiration to him.
“My sister inspires me for many reasons; being the older sister she took a huge responsibility at a young age,” he said. “Having to work and go to school while also having to support our family was not easy. Where others struggled she prospered -- she inspires me to be ready for the world even when it catches us by surprise.”
When he isn’t studying or working on school, you might find Remigio reading for relaxation, or hanging out with friends.
“Some hobbies I enjoy doing are reading and going out,” he said. “Reading to me is a needed break to just space out and enjoy a different reality that is not ours. Going out and talking to people to me is just relaxing, a break from life and just time to enjoy people’s company.”
Oklahoma’s Promise allows eighth-, ninth-, 10th- and 11th-grade students from families meeting certain income requirements to earn a college or technology center tuition scholarship. Students must also meet academic and conduct requirements in high school.
Created in 1992 by the Legislature to help more Oklahoma families send their children to college, Oklahoma’s Promise was originally designated as the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program. The program is administered by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
For more information, visit https://www.okhighered.org/okpromise/