CCSU Community Inspires Young Students to Pursue Higher Education

In the past two months, CCSU has been host to several groups of area elementary and middle school students in hopes of inspiring them to pursue higher education. During the visits, students, faculty, and administrators helped students understand how to access higher education and encouraged them to achieve the academic excellence that is vital for reaching college and for thriving on its educational opportunities and challenges.

“Choices—Make Sure You Make the Right Ones”

Earlier this month, one hundred eighth graders from the Bellizzi Middle School in Hartford visited CCSU, for a second consecutive year, to become more familiar with the University campus.

The theme of the visit was “Choices–Make Sure You Make the Right Ones,” which is part of the middle school’s focus to help its students understand the importance of how choices made today affect their future success. Four of the six middle school teachers who participated in the event are CCSU graduates searching for ways to assist their young students to get a glimpse of the college experience.

As part of the visit, the eighth graders met with Charles Jones, Jr., director of intercollegiate athletics, to learn about collegiate sports; explored the Art Gallery with Vicente Garcia, associate professor of art; became better acquainted with technology with Dr. Patrick Foster, associate professor of technology education; and became aware of the services offered by the Africana Center with Dr. C. Charles Mate-Kole, professor of psychology.

In addition to the Reading Department, other organizers of this event included the School of Technology, the Art Department, the Center for Africana Studies and the Athletics Department.

Foundation for Excellent Schools Century Program Creates Early College Awareness

Building on two years of successful programming, Professor Nancy Hoffman again invited to campus some 500 students and a group of parents from Dwight Elementary School in Hartford. The youngsters met with CCSU students and professors and engaged in hands-on activities designed to inspire them to pursue higher education.

This early April event marked the third time that CCSU has taken part in the Foundation for Excellent Schools (FES) Century Program, a nationwide initiative aimed at promoting partnerships between universities and elementary schools to create early college awareness and help students succeed in school and thrive in college.

Joined by Dwight Elementary Principal Stacy McCann and Connecticut State University Board of Trustees member John Motley, the students (grades K–5) toured the campus and attended special sessions featuring age-appropriate activities in geography, physics, robotics, music, dance, and story telling.

“It is important for children at this age to understand the need to work harder in school in order to have the chance to realize their dreams and aspirations,” said Dr. Nancy Hoffman, a professor of teacher education. “CCSU is proud to again partner with FES, and the St. Paul Travelers Foundation, to demonstrate that early college awareness is a key step to raising aspirations. It helps young students see possibilities in their future and, most important, it helps them understand how to access those opportunities.”

The Century Program is a nationwide FES initiative that matches 100 colleges with 100 schools to promote personal and academic achievement for underserved youth.  

Encouraging Higher Education Planning at an Early Age

In March, the University hosted the kick-off event of the second annual program to welcome more than 1,450 Hartford Public School fifth graders to 13 area college campuses. The “Fifth Graders Go to College 2006” program encouraged students to prepare and plan for college early in their school years.

Speakers at the event included President Jack Miller, Vice President for Student Affairs Margaret Toston, and Director of Pre-Collegiate and Access Services Awilda Reasco, as well as EOP and ConnCAP students. Also in attendance were the Honorable Eddie Perez, Mayor of Hartford; President of the University of Hartford and Chair of the Hartford Consortium for Higher Education Walter Harrison; Hartford School Superintendent Robert Henry; and Vice President of Government Relations for St. Paul Travelers Raul Allegue, a CCSU alumnus.

During the rest of that week, Hartford Public School fifth graders visited college campuses where they took tours, participated in a class or activity, met with college students, and had lunch. Students received information about going to college, a book to expand their home libraries, and t-shirts with an encouraging message about going to college.

“Fifth Graders Go to College 2006” is a partnership of Hartford Consortium for Higher Education, the office of Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez, the Hartford Public Schools, and the St. Paul Travelers Connecticut Foundation. 

Caption: CCSU student Prince Prescott III gives a campus tour to students participating in the “Fifth Graders Go to College 2006” program.

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