HANNIBAL – Virginia Donohue, a resident of Hannibal, and founder of On Point for College, will talk about her experiences at the March 28 meeting of the Hannibal Historical Society, to be held at 7 p.m. at the Community Center on Oswego Street in Hannibal.
If a student has not had anyone in their family attend college, they think it is not a possibility because of grades or money.
Donohue wants to offer solutions.
In the words of Nicole, a student helped by On Point for College, “I can’t believe you took a kid like me, that you didn’t even know, and you helped me.”
Donohue started the organization out of the trunk of her car in 1999.
The first year, she helped 27 low-income youths enter college. Today, On Point for College has 27 employees and 160 volunteers assisting and counseling 6,000 persons 17 to 29 years old.
These include both minority and non-traditional students.
Graduates include Brian, who was arrested when he was a junior in high school.
Brian said, “I was at the fork in the road in my life. I could go left and go to prison like every other male in my family, or right and make something of my life.”
With guidance from On Point for College, Brian graduated from SUNY Buffalo.
In Brian’s words, “Graduation was surreal. To walk across that stage was stamped in gold that I am different than every other male in my family.”
The public is invited to listen to Donohue’s inspiring story and enjoy refreshments after the presentation.
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