Gilmer High School students now have access to the What Comes Next Hub, an initiative by the University of North Georgia to prepare them for college.
The grand opening was held Friday afternoon, where GHS Principal Derek Bowen gave a warm welcome to students, community leaders, UNG staff and even the university’s mascot, Nigel the Nighthawk, in attendance.
“This is one of the greatest things we can do, to try and empower our kids to go to the next step,” Bowen said. “It looks different for every student, and that’s what we want them to understand. We’re partnering with all these people because if you’re here today, you’re putting something into this school, this community and pouring into our students.”
The UNG What Comes Next Hub is to help students navigate life after graduation, with help from Gilmer County Schools. The space guides college applications, FAFSA, scholarships, help with resumes and more.
“From workshops on writing college applications to financial aid assistance, this hub is designed to make the journey to college smoother for students and their families,” UNG Blue Ridge stated on their Instagram.
UNG President Michael Shannon shared how honored he was to be a part of this special moment, that he said is not just about their university or the community, but about every student who dreams of a brighter future.
He touched on the barriers high schoolers across the state face to higher education, where 41 percent of students in Georgia choose not to attend college.
“I want to show that college isn’t just a privilege, but it’s a pathway to opportunity for everyone,” he proclaimed about starting this hub at Gilmer High.
Shannon later said, “I believe that to be relevant in people’s lives today, you must get out from behind the tradition and structures of higher education, and go directly into the community … That’s what we’re building at UNG, a university that’s never existed. A university that sits on the same side of the table as you, looking at the challenges and opportunities you face. A university that helps you with the tools to succeed, no matter what your purpose may be.”
This is UNG’s first What Comes Next Hub, and he said definitely not the last. The celebratory energy continued when Shannon announced that every high school senior that dual-enrolled at UNG, who’s enrolled there as a freshman in the fall, will receive a $1,000 academic scholarship.
“Thank you so much for being a part of this and helping us make this great,” he said. “We want these [hubs] all over our region and all over our state because this is all about the unquestionable power of a college education.”
GHS and UNG alumna Kayla Valle also spoke at the event, highlighting her journey to higher education as a first-generation college student and the importance of mentorship within the hub.
“We can empower the next generation of students to break barriers, pursue higher education and transform their futures,” she voiced. “It is an honor to be a part of this mission and support students who will stand where I am today.”
Valle is an Upward Bound senior advisor for GHS as well, and students in the federally-funded program attended the grand opening. Upward Bound helps high schoolers, who are typically from low-income families or would be first-generation college students, prepare for higher education.
“I love what they did with the space,” Rose Bawihnem, a junior at Gilmer High and a member of Upward Bound, said about the What Comes Next Hub. “It’s very different from a normal class, and it feels like an actual little college space … I think it’s really going to help everybody get new experiences, more like college life.”
The hub includes a large television screen for presentations, a conference table for collaborative work and high-top tables with barstools where advisors can work with students one-on-one.
An open house for students is happening at the hub Thursday, March 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with various workshops on the books for the rest of the month.