Cadie Giba Bergan Says TCTC Shaped Her Educational and Professional Journey
Press Release
Date: April 5, 2025
Contact: lgarrett@tctc.edu
Cadie Giba Bergan Says TCTC Shaped Her Educational and Professional Journey
PENDLETON, SC --- Cadie (Nikki) Giba Bergan was one of 30 seniors who graduated from Cherokee High School in Alabama in 2013. “I can count on both hands those who went on to college,” she said. For most of them, it was the University of North Alabama, located in Florence, just 30 minutes from Cherokee where most of her friends planned to make their homes and settle into careers after graduation.
Bergan was the only graduate who moved out of state to go to college. In 2015, in her last semester as a University Transfer student at Tri-County Technical College, she transferred to Clemson University where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Bergan, who currently is director of recruitment for Lead for America, posted her story on LinkedIn in observance of Community College Month (April). She wrote:
“In honor of Community College Month, I want to take a moment to reflect on how my community college experience shaped my educational and professional journey.
In 2013, I was accepted to Clemson University as a first-generation college student from a very rural area. I’ll never forget the excitement of receiving my acceptance letter on my birthday, thinking, "They wouldn’t use this much paper to say no."
But just weeks later, personal circumstances forced me to defer my enrollment and move to a waitlist option. I was devastated. Teachers and counselors encouraged me to consider staying in Alabama, saying an out-of-state university was never a “realistic” option for me anyway. And yes, I am part of the group that left their small town, but I have a fairly unique experience that I don’t believe the brain drain narrative fully captures (that’s a different discussion!).
But I’ve always believed there’s a way around most walls.
I found my way through Tri-County Technical College (TCTC), which is a local community college with a transfer pathway to Clemson University. A week before the semester, I packed up my little red truck, found an apartment, and registered for classes. What felt like a setback at the time turned out to be the best redirection I could have asked for.
During my time at TCTC, I was more than just a student. I worked in the President’s Office and Admissions Department, where I was mentored by leaders from every department. They helped me navigate the college experience, supported my professional growth, and exposed me to fields like community outreach, marketing, admissions, and recruiting.
TCTC also introduced me to rural sociology, a field I might never have discovered otherwise. I took my first sociology class just to fulfill a credit requirement. That class led me to change my major to rural sociology at Clemson, combining my passion for understanding my rural upbringing with my solution-oriented mindset.
Looking back, was community college the right decision? A resounding yes.
It offered me:
• Work-study, internships, and part-time jobs that built my resume early.
• From dinner at the Governor’s Mansion to sitting on a CMT panel, my education extended beyond the classroom.
•A low-risk start for a first-gen student. When financial aid was uncertain or I took the wrong class, it was a setback, not a catastrophe.
•I built meaningful relationships both at TCTC and the Clemson community while engaging in local volunteer work, like the bluegrass festival that contributed to a strong sense of place.
Because of this pivot, I went on to achieve my dream of graduating from Clemson University; earning both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. The first in my family to do so.
I am forever grateful for Tri-County Technical College and the community college system as a whole. These institutions are pillars of opportunity.”
About Tri-County Technical College
Tri-County Technical College, a public two-year community and technical college serving Anderson, Oconee and Pickens Counties in South Carolina, enrolls more than 9,000 students annually and offers more than 70 major fields of study, including computer technology, industrial electronics, mechatronics, nursing, and university transfer programs. Tri-County boasts the highest student success rate among two-year colleges in the state and ranks in the top one percent nationally for successful student transfers to four-year colleges and universities. To learn more, visit tctc.edu.
