Law enforcement programs, TRIO student services and more

Day 7 of the fair and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities booth is still going strong!

Because today is the first day of the law enforcement emphasis at our first responder’s area, I had to get the scoop on what’s new from Ron Thomton of Minnesota West Community and Technical College. Thomton is a part of the Police Officer Continuing Education program, which trains police officers already in the field. The training includes defensive driving, use of force (self defense) and gun training.

I tried on some vision-impairing glasses (that's me above) that simulate what it feels like to be over the legal alcohol limit of .08. The glasses made me very dizzy, and I struggled to walk a straight line. Ron told me that he also had stronger glasses, set at the .20 alcohol level, which would have challenged my balance to the point of barely standing. The glasses serve as a reminder to the public, and to those in law enforcement training, of the severe dangers of drunk driving.

Saint Paul College, President Donovon Schwichtenberg hosting the Wheel of Luck

The TRIO program is another highlight of the booth this year. TRIO is a federally funded program that serves first-generation, low-income students with services. The TRIO program is broken into six different areas, covering diverse needs. Greg Reigstad of St. Cloud Technical College told me about a few of the programs that provide career counseling, tutoring, mentoring, advising and financial aid opportunities.

Greg Reigstad, St. Cloud Technical College Trio Representative

Two programs Greg mentioned were the Upward Bound-Math/Science program and Talent Search. Upward Bound-Math/Science focuses on preparing high school students for careers in math and science. The Talent Search program assists students ages 11 to 27 through career planning, post-secondary enrollment and financial aid. To find out more about the TRIO program, visit the Web site at www.mntrio.org.

Fairgoers visiting the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities booth.

That’s what’s happening for now. I’ll update you tomorrow! Don’t forget to stop by!

More about Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.