CSRA College Night Showcases Future Opportunities and Careers
Wednesday, September 27th, 2023
During the Savannah River Site (SRS) CSRA (Central Savannah River Area) College Night on Sept. 14, thousands of students filled the James Brown Arena in search of higher education opportunities, apprenticeships and future career paths. Fifteen local high school seniors won scholarships totaling $15,000.
“We are filling a huge need in our community,” said Cindy Hewitt, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) Education Outreach Specialist. “CSRA College Night highlights many different careers and opportunities for students. This enables us to connect with the future workforce, spark interest in our most needed occupations and prove to students that they can make their dreams a reality.”
A local student connects with University of Georgia undergraduate admissions during the Savannah River Site’s CSRA College Night at James Brown Arena.
Serving area students for three decades, CSRA College Night has awarded more than $300,000 in scholarships and reached tens of thousands of participants over the years. This year alone, 3,248 total attendees connected with 116 colleges and universities, four branches of military and many local technical colleges.
“There is something here for everyone,” said Lukas Willard, a senior at Aiken Scholars Academy, “Trying to navigate admissions and opportunities online can be very difficult. Here, you can ask direct questions to representatives from different colleges, military entities and potential employers from SRS. I was surprised to see so much exposure and opportunity under one roof.”
SRS College Night 2023 Scholarship Winners:
|
Za’Nyah Mullins |
Hephzibah High School |
|
Cameron Downs |
Aiken Scholar’s Academy |
|
Robert Wright |
Evans High School |
|
Ethan Newton |
Home School - Palmetto Independent Educators |
|
Caalyn Hyman |
Cross Creek High School |
|
Angel Tanksley |
Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics |
|
Halle Janik |
Alleluia Community School |
|
Zyone Green |
Allendale Fairfax High School |
|
Leo Littles lll |
A. R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet School |
|
Stephon Duley |
Denmark-Olar High School |
|
Destiny Moss |
Thomson High School |
|
Shanya Curry |
Lakeside High School |
|
Myah Rodriguez-Alvarado |
John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School |
|
Dylan Byrd |
Grovetown High School |
|
John Stone |
Aiken High School |
*Awards are pending qualification based on scholarship rules and eligibility requirements.
Alleluia Community School senior Halle Janik accepts a $1,000 scholarship presented by Francine Burroughs, Senior Vice President, SRNS Workforce Services and Talent Management at this year’s CSRA College Night.
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, a Fluor and HII partnership company, is responsible for the management and operations of the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, located near Aiken South Carolina.
South Aiken High School senior Ariya Evans attended the career fair with her mother, to gain better insight on her favorite universities.
In addition to scholarship opportunities, students and parents obtained information on educational opportunities and college admission requirements, participated in seminars on HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally) and LIFE (Legislative Incentive for Future Excellence) scholarships, learned about SRS apprenticeships and met with counseling centers.
Associate Director of Regional Recruitment Caitlin Norton proudly represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham at one of the largest college recruitment events in the states of Georgia and South Carolina.
“This was a fantastic way to get access to thousands of students who may be undecided or looking for their next big step,” said Norton. “With over 4,000 institutions in the country, this in-person event was a great way for a student to narrow down their options and find the perfect school without having to spend thousands on traveling or college visits.”
Thirty volunteers from the Aiken County Public School District assisted students in the Career Exploration area where students could card sort interest inventory to validate their potential career choice and match personality traits to future job opportunities.
Over 30 volunteers from the Aiken County Public School District assisted students with finding their career match through the career exploration activity.
“The career exploration activity further confirmed that the career path I’m pursuing aligns with my personality traits,” said Evans. “I was able to connect with representatives from some of my top schools to better understand the athletic training degrees offered. I’m 100% confident in my next steps, after attending this event.”
“We couldn’t have made tonight a reality without the hundreds of volunteers that contributed to its success,” said Hewitt. “They understand the impact this event has for a large number of our attending students and their parents. It is an incredible way to exchange information with the right people and provide guidance and direction on their next career move.”
CSRA College Night is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy-Savannah River Operations Office, SRNS, SRP Federal Credit Union, Probe, South Carolina Society for Professional Engineers, iHeart Media, Bridgestone and Centerra.
Click here for additional information on CSRA College Night and Education Outreach Programs.
SRNS-2023-00124
