WCU’s Project Discovery celebrates, reflects on 40th anniversary
Summertime snowfields shine on the Rockies as Project Discovery students make a long climb during a 2016 trip to Colorado. WCU photo
Heath Robertson sat at the back of the bus on a college tour trip when he was asked about his future plans. Robertson’s answer? He didn’t have any.
He didn’t think he could afford college, and even if he could, he sure didn’t have the grades.
To him, it wasn’t even an option — but that’s where Talent Search, now called Project Discovery, which is hosted by Western Carolina University, stepped in.
“Had they not had that long sit down with me on that trip, I probably wouldn’t have gone (to college),” Robertson said. “Lord only knows what would’ve happened because I know where I was headed, and it wasn’t anywhere good.”
Years later, Robertson has a doctorate and works at Cherokee Central Schools. Project Discovery has heard stories like that for decades, as it celebrates its 40th anniversary this academic year.
Project Discovery is a college access program funded by the U.S. Department of Education that serves low-income and first-generation, college-bound students.
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Along with encouraging students to graduate high school and pursue a college education for the last four decades, Project Discovery has also helped students navigate the challenges of taking standardized tests, finding financial aid, applying to college and much more.
“There’s so many ways that that kind of touches me and speaks to me,” Project Discovery Director JennieV. Sorrells said on the 40-year milestone.
“I think one thing about being here for 40 years is the depth of relationships that we have in our communities and the opportunity that’s given to us to become a program that really is embedded in so many of the communities that we work with.”
The program assists students from 15 middle and high schools across Western North Carolina. While Project Discovery is a college-focused program, its middle school students receive no less attention from any other.
Brooklyn Brown, a Swain County High School and WCU alumna, saw the value in the program when she was in middle school. With the help of Project Discovery, she started to get an idea of what courses to take in high school and where and what she might study in college.
Her brother, Noland Brown, was also a Project Discovery student, and as a high schooler, he understood its value, too.
“Just the amount of support that JennieV. gave us with those common apps and with FAFSA, that’s a lot of really difficult things to navigate when you don’t have the resources to do so,” Noland said. “Having that support system is so important whenever you’re moving to higher education and kind of attempting to get into that realm and seeing what you can do.”
However, even after high school and both siblings went to the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill for undergrad, Sorrells’ support didn’t stop there.
“Her ‘job’ ended after I went off to college, but because she cared about where I was and what I was doing, she continued to reach out to be a resource for me through my college education,” Brooklyn said.
“I feel like even today I can reach out to JennieV. if I needed a recommendation for a job or something. She’s there.”
And still, years after their time in Project Discovery, former students know the importance of the program, especially to a largely rural part of the state.
“School systems in general, especially in rural communities, don’t have that economic stability,” Noland said. “When you’re in a home that doesn’t have a lot of economic stability and you’re kind of just working to make ends meet, you might not have the forethought for ‘I want to go to college,’ but having someone like JennieV. and Project Discovery as a whole to help and give you that support can open your eyes a little bit.”
That support led to Noland graduating from UNC Chapel Hill debt free after Sorrells helped him with his interviews, essay prompts and resume skills for a scholarship that paved the way for his education.
For the last 40 years, that’s what Project Discovery has been all about. It’s been about helping families understand the landscape of applications and financial aid. It’s been about getting them to a good place.
And it’s been about seeing the impact the program has made in the long run.
“Sitting with them in that uneasy space, and then knowing that it works out and they find a good fit always feels good knowing that they have been enrolled in a school,” Sorrells said.
“But then once they graduate, it’s really meaningful to me because I most often see them coming back to their communities and being able to contribute and support themselves, support a family and then support other people in their community.”
