James Gray, with Tennessee Tech, speaks with Monica, left, and Austin Yarbrough during the eighth annual Infinite Scholars Scholarship Fair on Thursday morning.About 300 students flocked Thursday to the Infinite Scholars Scholarship Fair, an event sponsored by the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga. Two dozen universities set up booths with representatives to talk about financial aid and scholarship opportunities, and some schools even offered scholarships on-site.
Marcus Gill, assistant director of admissions for Albion College in Michigan, said he was impressed with the students.
“I like the kids,” he said. “A lot of them are prepared with transcripts and information.”
Steve Viola, a coordinator for the Infinite Scholars Program based in St. Louis, said the fair is different from other college fairs, because it is mostly an opportunity for students to learn how to finance their educations.
“It really shows them what scholarships are available to them,” he said.
He also said he was pleased with the caliber of students attending.
“They’ve got high-quality students showing up,” he said. “They came very prepared.”
Christie Banks, an admissions counselor from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, said she was a little let down, however.
“Some of the students … still aren’t aware of how to speak to professionals at a college fair,” she said.
She added that, nonetheless, it was a great event for students who took it seriously.
Some of the students also said they had expected more from the event.
“It’s not many schools that I know of,” Kishayla Eberhardt, 17, said as she looked around the fair, which took place at the Urban League’s headquarters on M.L. King Boulevard. “They’ve got the least schools of any other fairs that I’ve been to.”
Still, she talked to representatives and filled out applications with some schools. She wants to go to an in-state college and study to be a secondary education teacher.
Renyata Finney, 17, said she thought the fair was a good opportunity for high school students.
“It brought local schools to us,” she said. “Some kids will never get to go on a college tour, so bringing schools closer to them makes it easier on parents.”
She said she hopes to go to school out of state, possibly in Atlanta, to study pre-medicine.
Warren Logan, president of the Urban League of Chattanooga, said he thinks the fair is important not only for students, but for the Chattanooga community as well.
“It has great community impact, because what we’ve found out is this is the opportunity for a lot of first-generation kids to go to college,” he said.
Viola said that, if nothing else, he hopes students leave the fair knowing that colleges have money to help them, because many students may feel they can’t afford higher education.
“This here hopefully changes that mindset,” he said.
Contact staff writer Hannah Smith at hsmith@timesfreepress.comor at 423-757-6731.