FAIRBORN — Eighth-grade students from Troy Junior High School toured the Wright State University campus on Monday, Nov. 28, Tuesday, Nov. 29, and Wednesday, Nov. 30, during the annual Eighth-Grade Goes to College event hosted by the Troy City Schools and The Future Begins Today (TFBT).

“A lot of students who take this trip have never been on a university campus before, or have never really thought about what it would be like to be in college,” TFBT Executive Director Katie Clevenger said. “This gives the full tour, to show them what it would be like to live on-campus.”

Over 300 students toured the university during three separate field trips. TFBT pays for the students’ transportation, and the district provides staff members from Troy Junior High School who serve as chaperones.

“We plan this event to take the entire eight-grade class,” Clevenger said. “We really appreciate the partnership we have with Troy Junior High; without the school’s support, this wouldn’t be possible.”

“Eighth-Grade Goes to College is the biggest event that we do at the junior high level,” she said. “It’s also a really good time for students to start thinking about what they want to do after graduation.”

Students heard presentations from admissions representatives and toured the full Wright State University Campus, including classrooms, the library, dorm rooms and the cafeteria.

“It’s just really neat to see the students reacting,” Clevenger said. “I would say the most exciting part of the tour is the dorm tour, because they get to see how the rooms are set up. The students get really excited to start thinking about what it would be like to live on-campus.”

Wright State University admissions staff set up the tours and presentations, which were led by Admissions Counselor Emily McCubbin.

“She connects with the students, and really did a fantastic job with the presentations and making it fun,” Clevenger said.

The Eighth-Grade Goes to College event is made possible by funding from the Paul G. Duke Foundation and TFBT donors, and grants from the Miami County Foundation and The Troy Noon Optimists Club.

The Future Begins Today is a non-profit organization that supports nurturing, mentoring and scholarship programs for students in the Troy City Schools. The organization was established more than 25 years ago, by local philanthropists, business leaders and educators. More information can be found online at www.thefuturebeginstoday.org.

“We support approximately 1,500 students and their families annually through our different programs,” Clevenger said. ”We do field trips, family events, our Homework Helper and Lunch Buddy programs, Last Dollar Grant Scholarships, and our newly-added program at Troy High School, Trojan Futures.”