TRIO Fundraiser Walk Scheduled for April 5

CONTACT: ELAINE SCOTT-MATTISON, EXT. 1590

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3/27/2003
(By Lisa Garrett)

PENDLETON --- Tri-County Technical College's TRIO program is sponsoring a fundraiser walk to raise money for scholarships and to honor its former director, Bobby Randolph, who dedicated his career to education and to making a difference in the community.

"Walking Toward the Future" will be held Saturday, April 5, beginning at 9 a.m. with on-site registration from 8 – 8:45 a.m. Pre-registration is $12 for adults and $9 for students. On-site registration is $15 for adults and $12 for students. The walk will include a novice course around the Tri-County campus and a 5k course for experienced walkers, which will proceed through the town of Pendleton and back to the campus.

Under Mr. Randolph's leadership (1987 until his retirement in 1997), the TRIO programs grew into one of the College's most important services to students and are designed to provide educational opportunity for all Americans, regardless of race, ethnic background or economic circumstances. The College's TRIO programs consist of Educational Talent Search, Student Support Services and Upward Bound. They have provided supportive services to more than 17, 000 first-generation and low-income students in the tri-county area since 1978.

"As everyone is aware, the increasing cost of attending college has become a financial burden to many parents and students," said Elaine Scott-Mattison, director of the TRIO programs at Tri-County. "It is our hope that the TRIO Walk will become an annual fundraising event that will support the awarding of need-based scholarships to TRIO program participants." The proceeds from the walk will be divided evenly between the three programs.

"We've talked about this walk for years and always wanted to dedicate it to Mr. Randolph," she said. "It's a great way to honor him. He valued education and devoted himself to the program. His goal was to reach as many students as possible, beginning in middle school, and making it possible for them to pursue higher education.

"He always emphasized to the TRIO staff that we are serving students, first and foremost," she added.

Like many of the students that TRIO serves today, Mr. Randolph was the first in his family to attend college. He enrolled at Tuskegee Institute before federal financial aid programs as we know were available and supported himself with a work-scholarship which entailed years of full-time work and evening classes. He stayed at Tuskee for three years before spending seven years in the Air Force. When he left the Air Force, he returned to Greenville where he earned an associate degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Greenville Technical College. He later earned bachelor's and master's degrees in Industrial Education from Clemson University.

He came to Tri-County in 1973 as head of the Brick Masonry department. Two years later he was named chairman of the Industrial Technology Division and later director of the evening college.

"Mr. Randolph recognized the connection between education and quality of life and always helped others to reach their educational potential and to secure resources to provide the essential support services," Ms. Scott-Mattison said.

When Mr. Randolph entered retirement, he devoted himself to his church, Paramount Park Baptist Church, where he is founding pastor, and to the community. He tutored students at Greenview Elementary to help them to increase their scores on the PACT test, and he volunteered with the Greenville Literacy Association. He suffered a spinal cord injury in 2001 when he fell off of the roof of his home and is now paralyzed below the neck. He now lives in Greer with his family.

For more information about the walk, contact Ms. Scott-Mattison at 646-1590. Persons may make a donation to the fundraiser even if they choose not to participate in the walk.
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