10th Annual Winter Workshop unites scholars for college and career success
TGR Foundation kicks off each year with Winter Workshop, a signature event of the Earl Woods Scholar Program that unites students, mentors and friends of the foundation at the flagship TGR Learning Lab in Anaheim, CA. A reflection of the program’s growth over the last ten years, this year’s event saw record attendance Thursday, January 2 – Saturday, January 4.
Through a host of scheduled personal and professional development workshops, the program prepared underclassmen college students for success during their year ahead and celebrated with seniors that will graduate in the class of 2020 during a luncheon on Friday afternoon.
Mentor Spotlight: General Trent Edwards shares how mentors learn while leading
From Traip Academy High School in Kittery, Maine to the United States Pentagon in Arlington, VA, General Trent Edwards has had many life experiences. In his latest appointment as an Earl Woods Scholar Mentor he was matched with Julian Smith, a freshman at Clark Atlanta University, and has already begun sharing special moments, learning from his mentee’s perspective and helping him develop healthy habits on his road to college and career success.
General Edwards recently took a moment to reflect on his experience thus far, share the value of mentoring and provide tips for building strong relationships as we celebrate National Mentoring Month.
Year of Significance: How TGR excelled in 2019 and what’s in store for the new decade
Significant. That’s a word that really describes this year, for TGR Foundation and certainly for Tiger. Our work and Tiger’s success inspired members of our community, young and old, to think of new possibilities. There were many achievements that made 2019 significant.
Scholar Voices: How rejection fueled my path to success
Growing up, I always tried to keep a serious face. Not because I wasn’t a happy person but because I never liked my smile. No matter how many times I practiced smiling in front of a mirror, when it was time for a picture, I would try my best to avoid it. My insecurities made me extremely timid. However, whenever I was able to do anything science or math-related, I came out of my shell. I did not care where I was or what I looked like. I just wanted to learn because it was fun for me.
Fast forward to my first year of college, I was very excited; I had the chance to study computer science at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). I had nearly perfect grades, and I genuinely loved what I was studying. I felt like I did when I was learning as a child.
Passion Redefined: How Eduardo Muñoz followed his passion, shifted his career path
Earl Woods Scholar Alumnus Eduardo Muñoz has hit a couple of “speed bumps,” as he calls them, throughout his personal and professional journey. However, raised in a family that instilled in him and modeled unwavering determination, no obstacle ever took him off course. When his own father faced health issues several years ago, Eduardo took from the situation life lessons that have steered him through his undergraduate days at Allegheny College and onto his now former professional career at Edwards Life Sciences.
Five tips to rise above the pressures of academia
When I was teaching there were distinct times of the year that kids exhibited high stress and anxiety as it relates to completing assignments. It was common to see students, usually in gifted programs, bogged down with the pressures of academia. We took it as a norm; school, studying and exams can be stressful. Today, however, many more students are feeling the pressures of school, which can be daunting and, for many, debilitating.
Educators have a moral duty to help the young people under their care learn to cope and thrive beyond merely achieving competency through their prescribed curriculum. There are many ways educators can motivate, reinforce and change the tide of mental health concerns among their students.
Passion Fulfilled: How Vladimir Casseus empowers leaders of tomorrow
Boston native and Earl Woods Scholar alumnus Vladimir Casseus grew up instilled with the mantra that education was the key to success. Alongside his parents, who pushed him to excel academically, Vladimir was guided by teachers, friends, mentors, church members, coaches and the extended family he built at TGR Foundation.
With a master’s degree in school psychology from Tufts University, Vladimir has worked as a School Psychologist within Boston Public Schools for more three years. He’s committed to motivating students to surpass their potential and overcome all obstacles.
How STEM Studio connected students and educators across boarders
Professional development workshops and conferences are ways to learn new teaching strategies and improve one’s teaching practice. In the summer of 2018, I attended my first weeklong STEM Studio hosted by TGR Foundation. Even though I have participated in numerous workshops throughout my teaching career, there was something unique about STEM Studio. In attempting to describe my STEM Studio experience, the word that comes to mind is CREATE.
Passion Ignited: How TGR Foundation empowered Yeon Jin “Grace” Lee to pursue her passion for filmmaking
After being accepted into the University of California, Berkeley, the uncertainty Yeon Jin “Grace” Lee felt around her future at the university and in the United States dwindled as she went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in engineering. From UC Berkeley to NASA, her education opened doors to ignite her career and help her reach higher to obtain a Master of Science in software engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. It was through this experience that she gained her green card and security in her place in America.
From South Korea to Southern California, Grace overcame obstacles in her path as an undocumented immigrant and achieved great success. We recently connected at the flagship TGR Learning Lab in Anaheim, CA to reflect on her journey and how she’s using her platform and experiences to empower other students like her.
TGR Foundation celebrates Giving Tuesday, matches December donations
At TGR Foundation we believe the best way to impact the world is to empower those who enter it. Our education programs transform empowerment into impact as we support students and educators around the world. With our generous donors, partners and volunteers, we are joining the global day of philanthropy to Empower The Journey of more students in need on Giving Tuesday, December 3. A $41K match from our Board of Governors will allow us to double the dollars raised through the end of the year.
