A WVU Tech student has been selected to study abroad this summer in the Netherlands as part of the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) Keith Sherin Global Leaders Program, which serves undergraduate TRIO students.
Logan Oliver, a sophomore majoring in information systems from Wyoming County, was selected as one of only ten TRIO students nationwide to travel and study in The Hague, Netherlands.
“I’m the most excited about having such a novel experience,” Oliver said. “Exploring different places and meeting new people, it’s just going to be really interesting.”
Heather Short, Assistant Director for WVU Tech’s TRIO Student Support Services (TRIO SSS), says all the TRIO staff are so proud of Oliver for taking a chance and applying for this opportunity.
“The TRIO SSS staff is so incredibly proud of Logan for stepping out of his comfort zone and taking this opportunity. The application process is incredibly competitive, so to be selected is no easy task. We have no doubt that he will represent WVU Tech and the state of West Virginia well,” says Short.
Scott Robertson, Assistant Dean of Students and TRIO SSS Director, knows firsthand this experience will be life changing for Oliver.
“Having served as a chaperone for this trip in 2019, I had the pleasure of watching TRIO participants from across the country immerse themselves in Dutch culture and learn from their peers. I cannot wait for Logan to return from his time in The Hague and hear about his experience,” says Robertson.
Oliver said that he wasn’t always sure what he wanted to do after he graduated from high school. He spent 13 years in Florida before settling in Wyoming County. When he visited Tech and connected with the TRIO program, he knew that Tech was where he needed to be.
“I fell in love with TRIO really fast. I started going to the meetings and talking to people; it was a good community,” he said.
Short echoes Oliver’s sentiment.
“I think this opportunity also highlights the true impact of TRIO programs. They connect first-generation and low-income students with experiences they might not otherwise have access to, while helping them build meaningful relationships and lasting networks. Through opportunities like this, TRIO supports students in growing into individuals who make a meaningful difference in their communities,” she says.
Oliver will be the third WVU Tech student to participate in the COE Keith Sherin Global Leaders Program. Through TRIO, Oliver has been able to travel to several different destinations, but it will be his first time out of the country. He said he recently had the opportunity to meet the group he’ll be traveling with virtually before they depart in June for the Netherlands.
“There are several students from California, one student is from a Native American reservation,” he remarks. “I’m still kind of in disbelief.”
Oliver will study topics in information systems and cybersecurity for a month. He’s also planning shorter trips to nearby countries to make the most of his time in Europe. Oliver will be able to take part in this experience at no cost to him.
“Working with campus leadership, WVU Tech Career Services, our Regional TRIO Association - the Mid-Eastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel (MEAEOPP), and the Beckley Area Foundation, Logan will be able to take part in this study abroad opportunity at no cost. This coordinated effort highlights the campus and the community's commitment to helping WVU Tech students meet new heights they never thought imaginable," Robertson says.
In addition to being in the TRIO program, Oliver is part of the eSports team and the First2Network, works two student employee positions, and organized and hosted a Narcan training on campus with Seed Sower. He also just graduated from Leadership Beckley, where he was part of the first class that included Tech students.
When Oliver returns, he wants to share his experience with other students to encourage them to apply for similar opportunities. Oliver takes off for the Netherlands on June 20.