Thillen Foundation hosts college send-off event

L to R: 2023 GCHS graduates Sherlyn Camacho, Cameron Carmichael, Akeria Merritt, and Jai’Lyn Armour return to share honest advice and college insights with the Class of 2025 at the Thillen Education Foundation’s “Ask the Alums” event.

As graduates from the Class of 2025 prepare to take their next steps into higher education, the Thillen Education Foundation (TEF) hosted its first “Ask the Alums: Advice for Freshman Year” event Aug. 4 at the Greene County High School (GCHS) Career Center.

The evening was filled with inspiration, insight, and encouragement as recent graduates returned to offer candid advice and answer questions from incoming college freshmen and their families. Pizza — and plenty of wisdom — were served.

The panel included four standout GCHS alumni, now juniors in college:

• Cameron Carmichael, Morehouse College, majoring in finance

• Akeria Merritt, Kennesaw State University, majoring in finance

• Jai’Lyn Armour, University of Georgia, majoring in marketing

• Sherlyn Camacho, Georgia College & State University, double majoring in accounting and Spanish

L to R: Members of the Class of 2025 Carmen Miller, Tiana Brockington, Jayla Turner, and Markayla Ward attended the event and soaked up advice and encouragement as they prepare to begin their college journeys.

Each shared personal experiences on a range of topics — from navigating homesickness and adjusting to dorm life, to tackling rigorous coursework and discovering career goals. Questions posed to the panel touched on social dynamics, managing academics, financial challenges, and lessons learned along the way.

“I wish I’d known how important time management would be,” shared Carmichael. “The freedom is great, but you have to create structure for yourself if you want to succeed.”

Parents and students alike appreciated the practical insights — especially coming from peers who had just recently made the same transition.

Ask the Alums: Advice for Freshman Year is a new program created by TEF to help recent GCHS graduates make the most out of their time in college. It goes hand-in-hand with the recently launched College Career Coaching initiative, providing students the benefits of having a career coach in college — just like they did throughout high school.

This article originally appeared on Lake Oconee News.

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