Helping students realize college dreams

By Victor L. Lechtenberg

A recent column by David Brooks titled "The Education Gap" calls attention to the growing need for colleges and universities to do their part in making higher education accessible for all those who wish to pursue it. Colleges and universities throughout Indiana already have several programs in place to address this need. To serve as an example, here is what Purdue University is doing.

The Purdue Opportunity Awards Program annually pays all tuition, room and board for a high-need incoming freshman from each of Indiana's 92 counties. The students also receive monetary assistance as sophomores to cover the gap remaining after all forms of other aid have been applied. They then serve as mentors to the next group of award recipients who are admitted to the university.

Another innovative program is Science Bound, a partnership among Purdue, Indianapolis Public Schools and the Indianapolis business community. It provides eligible students an opportunity to earn a four-year tuition scholarship to Purdue to study for a science, engineering or technology-related career. Nearly 160 students enrolled in the program participate in science-related after school activities, field trips and summer camps to enrich their academic experience. The first graduates of the Science Bound program will begin their studies in 2007.

Low-income families also can take advantage of the Twenty-First Century Scholars Program, which is supported by most colleges and universities throughout Indiana. In addition to paying whatever tuition is not covered by financial aid, this program helps to prepare the students for college through free summer camps and visits to colleges and universities throughout the state. Other college preparatory activities include tutoring, mentoring, community service projects and newsletters on planning for college. Purdue staff members currently work with more than 2,100 students in grades 7-12 to help them attain a college degree.

Many universities also have initiated outreach programs to support teachers in the classroom. Purdue's College of Science K-12 Outreach Program, for example, has reached more than 6,000 teachers and 550,000 students by traveling to Indiana schools with workshops, demonstrations, programs, laboratory equipment and other activities aimed at improving science and mathematics education. Several universities also conduct teacher workshops and sponsor academic competitions for which teachers prepare their students.

Many of Indiana's colleges and universities also have developed retention initiatives to help students adjust and stay enrolled. At Purdue, many freshmen and transfer students participate in Boiler Gold Rush, a nationally recognized orientation program through which students participate in a weeklong series of recreational activities and information sessions designed to make the adjustment to college life easier.

First-year Purdue students also are invited to participate in Learning Communities, through which groups of freshmen with common academic interests are co-enrolled in several of the same courses. Some groups share living space in University Residences.

For low-income or first-generation students, Purdue's Horizons Program offers several services designed for them. They include free tutoring, a free computer lab, a special academic advisor, a special career counselor, a study skills class, cultural activities and even some personal counseling and financial aid counseling.

Many universities and colleges also support cultural centers for African-American and Latino students. These centers sponsor several additional programs that address the specific academic and cultural needs of their constituencies.

Collectively, these initiatives address much more than the affordability of college. They prepare students to be academically, psychologically and culturally prepared for their educational careers.

Indiana's institutions of higher learning recognize that the issue of access to higher education in the United States deserves national attention. We will continue to serve as a partner with educators, parents and students so that every child who dreams of going to college can make that dream a reality.

Victor L. Lechtenberg serves as Purdue University's vice provost for engagement. He coordinates the university's efforts to reach out in support of K-12 education.

To the News Service home page