The Thompson Learning Community (TLC) is a resource that gives students the financial support they need through the Susan T. Buffett Foundation Scholarship.
TLC’s biggest goal is to help students with the transition from high school to college and into their field of study. TLC does this through general education courses students can take with other Buffett scholarship recipients, academic workshops and networking opportunities with faculty, students and professionals.
Rigoberto Diaz-Dominguez is a sophomore Civil Engineering student in TLC and uses many of the resources within the community. The resource he uses the most is his upperclassmen mentors.
“I ask them tips on how to get through college,” Diaz-Dominguez said. “They always have a positive answer that helps me through my struggles in college.”
Journalism and Media Communications senior, Analya Ramirez said that TLC has unlimited resources for students.
“They have dinners for freshman and sophomore students that are helpful, as well as labs inside Kayser specifically for TLC students,” Ramirez said. “There’s a computer lab with free printing, a longue area and a quiet study area.”
TLC is more than just a community to the students within its walls–it’s a family. Ramirez said that she can always count on her TLC family.
“I don’t feel like just a college student, but someone they genuinely care about,” Ramirez said. “My first year, I was new in Omaha. I felt safe and knew I had people to go to if I needed help.”
Financial support is always a big help for college students and TLC helps take away the burden of owing money to the university.
“I will be able to graduate debt free,” Ramirez said.
TLC is helping students grow from the tiny, scared freshman to confident young men and women who can live and work in the real world as professionals in their respected fields. TLC helps students build resumes, cover letter, and interviewing skills to help them make it to that dream career.
“TLC has allowed me to attended college and become something better in society,” Diaz-Dominguez said.
TLC will always hold a special spot in both Diaz-Dominguez and Ramirez’s hearts because all of the things they do for their students. TLC provides care, compassion and a fire for learning to the students they come into contact with.
“TLC has helped me become confident in myself starting with being selected to receive the scholarship,” Ramirez said. “From day one, they have made me feel important. They care about my education which made me want to try hard while college because I didn’t want to let them down.”
TLC is all about students understanding themselves and bettering themselves for the future.
“The staff is committed to promoting an environment open to help students understand themselves and others. We strive to understand the uniqueness of all students in the community. We encourage all who are a part of the community to embrace diversity and maintain an environment that is inclusive for all,” according to the TLC page on the UNO website.
“TLC has given me the strength to keep moving forward toward becoming an engineer,” Diaz-Dominguez said. “TLC is important to me because it allows me to become a better person, and it allows us to go to college and follow our dreams.”
