Tiffany Williams of Wake Tech Community College presented to the club about the challenges faced by the types of students who will be in next year's club supported program, Bridges to Success.

1. STUDENTS IN CRISIS
An overview of poverty
and its effects on student
behaviors

2. WHAT DOES EDUCATION
MEAN TO YOU?
WHAT DOES A JOB MEAN TO
YOU?
Time away from home.
Time away from my kids.
Time that I could be spending
working.
Stress
I’ll work but still won’t be
able to pay the bills.

3. I WORK IN EDUCATION.
I WORK WITH PEOPLE IN POVERTY.
Within the Wake Tech CCR Program
• 62% are unemployed
• 15% have part time employment
• 23% are working full-time
Date Range - July 2014-June 2015
6655 students enrolled for one or more credits

4. POVERTY IN AMERICA: SOCIETAL
HANDICAP?
“The state of one who lacks a usual or
socially acceptable amount of money or
material possessions.”
“The lack of what one needs to live within a
society”
To be a part of society, one must be able to
follow societal customs and norms. No Suit, No Job Offer.
We want people who are
serious about work.

5. POVERTY: GREAT FOR
ENROLLMENT!
BAD FOR RETENTION
When basic needs
are met, you can
focus on self-
development like
career and
education
“People choose to be poor.
Education is available. They
just need to be willing to
work to get it.”• Our life situations create our “world
view”
• The Education System is a middle
class system
• How did you get these ideas?

6. WHAT DOES POVERTY TEACH?
 Hopelessness
 Everyone else seems
smarter
 We don’t belong
 No one cares
 There’s no one to help
 People who make it are
better than me
 People like us don’t
get education
 We don’t have what we
need
 I can’t do this

7. LEARNED HELPLESSNESS
In the 1960’s Martin Seligman…
Uncontrollable events could cause expectations of lack
of control in the future.
 Decreased motivation
 Failure to learn
 Negative emotions (sadness, anxiety, frustration)
Threats, rewards, and observed demonstrations
had no effect on the “helpless” group.
Perception Was Truth

8. WHY AREN’T
THEY USING
THE
RESOURCES
THAT I GAVE
THEM?
Go to the
library for
help
with…
I’m not walking
in there and
looking stupid.
I’ll get my
cousin to help
me
“That’s
never
going to
work”
You’re probably
right. Just forget
it.

9. BUT THANKS TO YOUR
KIND DONATION…
A change in perception, can bring a change in
their lives.

10. FOR MORE INFORMATION
Tiffany Williams
Dean, College and Career
Readiness
tfwilliams4@waketech.edu