SubmittedTylier Roberts, left, listens as Tanya O’Campo, MCC medical office management technology program coordinator and instructor, reviews class offerings during the drive-through program review. 

When Tylier Roberts was laid off from her job in March while the pandemic swept through the Meridian area, she knew it was time for a change.

“I wanted to do something different …. Be essential,” she said, so she’s enrolled in Meridian Community College’s medical office management technology program.

On Tuesday, she was one of the many to learn more about the college when it hosted the first drive-through program review at the MCC-Riley Workforce Development Center parking lot.

A different take on a typical college fair, the drive-through program gave students, potential students and parents of students a chance to see from a safe distance what career and technical programs have to offer, said Lori Smith, MCC dean of workforce education, and coordinator of the event.

“Due to social distancing, we can’t have a traditional college fair like we usually do, so we were trying to think outside the box and do something creative,” Smith said.

The idea turned into a drive through program review where potential students remained in their vehicles and moved from tent to tent set up in the workforce education parking lot to receive information about programs and the college.

Roberts got the chance to talk to instructor Tanya O’Campo, asking what jobs were available in the medical office field. Another student, Ronsbel Castillo Lopez, also got the opportunity to speak to construction trades program instructor Myke Shirley about the program Lopez is starting later this month.