More than 200 seventh- through 10th-grade students
headed off to college today to learn more about the importance of
planning for college as well as the rewards of a teaching career.
The campus visit is sponsored by the comprehensive college preparation
program Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate
Programs (GEAR UP), the College of Education at the University of
Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) and a grant from the Oklahoma
State Regents for Higher Education Minority Teacher Recruitment
program. Participating students from Boone-Apache, Comanche, Indiahoma,
Marietta and Ryan schools spent the day learning about financial
aid, academic requirements and admission standards, as well as touring
the USAO campus.
GEAR UP is a federal program designed to better prepare students
for college. In 1999, the U.S. Department of Education awarded Oklahoma
a five-year grant totaling $20.5 million to implement GEAR UP activities
across the state, including scholarships, college preparation projects
and awareness programs for students and parents.
The campus visit was designed to help students gain an early awareness
of college preparation as well as to inform them of the academic
opportunities available through GEAR UP and other programs.
“We want to encourage students to start thinking early about college
so they can better prepare for the academic demands of college and
take advantage of financial aid opportunities,” said Chancellor
Hans Brisch. “We were able today, through the visit to USAO, to
give these students an understanding of college they might not get
otherwise.”
The event began in Troutt Hall Auditorium where students heard from
several education leaders about the importance of a college education,
options on financial aid and the need to take core courses in order
to be academically prepared.
Morning speakers included: Dr. Jeanne Mather, professor, College
of Education, USAO; Tim Reynolds, Chickasha businessman; Jolynn
Horn, regional coordinator, Oklahoma GEAR UP, OSRHE; and Nancy Moats,
financial aid official, USAO.
Dr. Jerry Bread, outreach coordinator of Native American Studies,
University of Oklahoma, shared his experiences as a first-generation
college student from western Oklahoma. Over lunch, Beard told the
students his “Cultural Perspective of Success.” He encouraged students
to examine their own perceptions of success as well as those of
their peers, teachers, parents and society.
“Many middle school students feel as if college is foreign territory
and not part of their world. In addition, they think college is
too far in the future to be concerned about now,” said Brisch. “We
want Oklahoma students to have every opportunity to attend college
when the time comes. That’s why we arrange these campus visits in
the middle school years. It helps our young people to understand
the importance of planning early for college and helps them become
familiar with a college campus at an early age.”
The U.S. Department of Education awarded Oklahoma with a state GEAR UP grant totaling $20.5 million in August 1999. The grant has been matched by more than $25 million from state and partner resources. With funds totaling $45.5 million, GEAR UP receives 45 percent of total funding from the federal government and 55 percent from other organizations.
