FORT WORTH, Texas (Jan. 23, 2013)
Chipo Moyo of Tarrant County College has been named third-place winner of the DREAM Big for College and Your Future video contest held by Achieving the Dream (ATD). ATD is a national nonprofit leading the nation’s most comprehensive non-governmental reform effort for community college student success in higher education history.
This contest, which encouraged students to leverage their creative talents in order to share their inspiring stories and motivate others to complete college and pursue their dreams, required students to submit self-made videos about their dream job demonstrating how their community college is helping them get there. More than 100 video diaries were submitted, from which three grand prize recipients were selected.
“With almost half of our nation’s undergraduate students attending community college, it is important that their stories be told,” said Lauren Lewis, Communications Manager at Achieving the Dream. “Chipo Moyo’s submission did just that. We were so impressed by the inspiration and creativity she expressed.”
A native of Harare, Zimbabwe, Moyo hopes to one day open a school for the arts in Southern Africa and devote her time and talent “to pouring inspiration and hope to those that are broken, poor, hopeless, or have a dream.” Before she enrolled in the Business Administration program at Southeast Campus, Moyo studied psychology at the Women’s University of Africa and graphic and fashion design at Columbus College of Art and Design.
While living in Zimbabwe, Moyo founded a company named Shiloh in 2007 that makes handcrafted luxury greeting cards and wedding invitations, life-size birthday cards, and African jewelry and provides private art lessons for children. Along with being a full-time student and overseeing her company, Moyo considers herself a public speaker, actress, writer, musician and art teacher.
Other video contest winners include: first-place winner Melissa Leon of South Texas College in McAllen, Texas, ($1,500 scholarship) and second-place winner Jessica Kranson of St. Clair County Community College in Port Huron, Mich., ($1,000 scholarship).
In addition to the DREAM Big for College video challenge, ATD also launched a DREAM Big for College student design contest. Grand-prize winner Alexander Rey of Miami Dade Community College received a $1,000 scholarship. His design will be printed on 1,000 tote bags for DREAM 2013, Achieving the Dream’s 2013 Annual Meeting on Student Success.
Achieving the Dream plans to continue its student-centered DREAM Big for College campaign with future contests. It has been widely successful thus far, engaging students across multiple platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, to get their voices heard and uplifted directly to the ear of influencers.
DREAM Big for College
The DREAM Big for College campaign aims to fast-track students’ voices directly to the ear of influencers. Through DREAM Big for College, the nation is hearing from students about what it takes for them to stay in college and earn their certificate or degree. Launched in 2012 in conjunction with a T-shirt design contest and a student video contest, the campaign continues to leverage prize contests that engage student and provide their perspective into the national reform movement.
Achieving the Dream, Inc.
Achieving the Dream, Inc. is dedicated to helping more community college students, particularly low-income students and students of color, stay in school and earn a college certificate or degree. Evidence-based, student-centered, and built on the values of equity and excellence, Achieving the Dream is closing achievement gaps and accelerating student success nationwide by: 1) guiding evidence-based institutional improvement, 2) leading policy change, 3) generating knowledge, and 4) engaging the public. Conceived as an initiative in 2004 by Lumina Foundation and seven founding partner organizations, today, Achieving the Dream is in nearly 200 colleges. With more than 100 coaches and advisors and 15 state policy teams-working throughout 32 states and the District of Columbia-the Achieving the Dream National Reform Network helps 3.75 million community college students have a better chance of realizing greater economic opportunity and achieving their dreams.
Tarrant County College is a comprehensive two-year institution dedicated to providing quality education that exceeds the expectations of the people of Tarrant County. The College offers a wide range of opportunities for learners of all ages and backgrounds, including traditional programs, such as the Associate of Arts Degree, Continuing Education courses, workshops and customized training programs. The College has five major campuses throughout Tarrant County plus the Trinity River East Campus for Health Care Professions. For more information, visit www.tccd.edu.
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