Upward Bound: Climbing Upward Bound: Climbing
The Collegiate Ladder—One Model The Collegiate Ladder—One Model
at at
Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityNebraska Wesleyan University
Presentation on October 2, 2010 at the Midwest Presentation on October 2, 2010 at the Midwest
Consortium ConferenceConsortium Conference
byby
Dr. Angela McKinney, Candice
Howell, Evin Lackore, and Dr.
Mike McDonald
Objectives•Raise awareness, attainment, and aspirations to enter higher education among young people in Lincoln-area high schools who are from disadvantaged groups.
•Use Social Media such as wikis and Blackboard to strengthen outreach efforts and positively influence the decisions Upward Bound participants make.
•Develop guidance counselor and school staff expectations and awareness regarding young people from disadvantaged groups.
Objectives Continued
• Develop leadership skills and strategies between LPS mentees and NWU mentors
• Develop content knowledge in the STEM areas.
• Build parent engagement, aspirations, and expectations for the participating children to pursue higher education.
Collaboration
• Collaboration between many groups:
• AHEC---Southeast NE Area Health Education Center
• UNL—University of NE-Lincoln Upward Bound
• NWU---NE Wesleyan University:• Assistant to the Academic Affairs Provost for
Student Success and Diversity• Biology Department• Education Department
Program Websites
• Upward Bound Websites• 2008 through present• students.nebrwesleyan.edu/student_groups/u
pwardbound/
• Wikispace--nwuupwardbound.wikispaces.com
• NWU Blackboard site—blackboard.nebrwesleyan.edu (need official access)
Summer Program• July 6 – July 15
• 7 Courses (42 contact hours) offered to students• Googlicious, Psychics Demystified, Geocaching• CSI, Ceramics, Comparative Animal Locomotion• Math - Magic - and Psychology
• 8 Wesleyan students mentored/assisted in the classes
• 64 Upward Bound students participated
• 10 NWU faculty presented
Summer Program Schedule
STEM classes held in the PM; college preparatory sessions held in the AM.
•Group 1 at 1:15 to 2:45
•Group 2 at 3:00 to 4:30
•*Rotated different groups every other day between sessions so that students completed at least 6 hours with each instructor and NWU student assistant/s.
Sample Class Overview
• Crime Scene Investigation
• Dr. Angela McKinney and Dr. Dan Strydom
• Abstract:• Student visited a “mock” crime scene
and collected evidence. Once the evidence was collected, students took their samples back to the laboratory and analyzed them. Based on the result, students determined if the alleged crime took place.
Second Example Class
• Googlicious— sites.google.com/site/ubgooglicious
• Dr. Mike McDonald
• Abstract:• Students learned to use the google site
component of google, while incorporating the use of garageband and Animoto, to share about themselves, what they’ve learned in Upward Bound so far, and what they hope/d to learn in upcoming sessions.
Summer Program Evaluations
Pre-evaluations completed by 52 of the 64 participants
Post-evaluations completed by 54 of the 64 participants
http://students.nebrwesleyan.edu/student_groups/upwardbound/evaluation.html
Training and Mentoring Structure
• Mentee’s and Mentors meet two times a month (refer to Course Syllabus)
• Discuss leadership steps and multicultural awareness
• Reflections posted on Blackboard
• Group activities with all mentors and mentees
• Full Schedule found on the website
• http://students.nebrwesleyan.edu/student_groups/upwardbound/schedule.html
Blackboard• Mentor response site
• Includes:• Post of all mentors• Course syllabus• Schedule
• Posts are monitored to gauge leadership growth
• Site reviewed by Upward Bound Administrators
Example One of Mentor Postings
Discussion of day
Leadership topic of goals
How to set good goals (ABC’s of goal setting)
Implementation of mentor-mentee training
Example Two of Mentor Posting
X and I have met once this month. We weren’t able to meet again since we both had breaks and she went to Chicago. We discussed a lot of things. One of the most important topics was her application to Wayne [State College]. X visited a few schools and decided that the best place for her is at Wayne. She just submitted her application 2 weeks ago and I am super excited for her!!! Also we have been discussing some scholarships that apply to X. Everything is going really well and we are a great match. We don’t have any trouble talking with one another and we e-mail each other on a consistent basis
Impact of Mentoring• Mentees’ Perspectives:
• Great learning experience • Exposed to many different disciplines of study• Interaction with NWU students
• Mentors’ Perspectives:• Chance to serve as teaching assistants and
mentors• Exposure to more diverse backgrounds• Develop broader perspectives• Experiences working with individuals form
different backgrounds
Contacts
• Candice Howell, Nebraska Wesleyan University, [email protected]
• Evin Lackore, NWU Mentor, Biology, Chemistry [email protected]
• Dr. Mike McDonald, Nebraska Wesleyan University, [email protected]
• Dr. Angela Mckinney, Nebraska Wesleyan University, [email protected]