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Greetings,
Last month I had the exciting opportunity to travel to the National College Access Network conference in Los Angeles. I can't tell you how inspiring it was to spend three days with colleagues who are so committed to the mission of college access.
The conference opened with the Best Practices Gallery, where I was proud to debut Great Lakes' third annual Counselor's Toolkit. Our table was crowded with counselors and outreach specialists eager to hear more about our free resources. Many outreach programs participated in the gallery, showcasing resources that help college access counselors assist more students.
In addition to the gallery, I attended many sessions where I learned about new programs, research, and best practices. One session that caught my attention discussed new research by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation on the college attendance and completion rates of high-achieving lower-income students. The research indicated that these students slip through the cracks and are less likely to graduate from college than their higher-income peers. As we work to reverse poor high school achievement among low-income students, these findings are a reminder that we also need to promote high college achievement within this same population.
I also attended a session about engaging and empowering parents to advocate for their children's education and postsecondary success. The session discussed ways that parents can help their children pursue a college education. I was pleased to note that our newest workshop, "College Prep for Parents 101," does just that.
A session that reminded me of my commitment to college access was about the messages that work for first-generation students. The session presented research that indicated first-generation students cite the relationships and trust they develop with pre-college program staff as the motivators that make them receptive to the messages and services that outreach programs offer. For these students, preparing for and going to college is a "leap of faith."
First-generation students and their parents need to feel that they can trust the counselors who guide them through the college application and financial aid process. This is what we strive toward – developing relationships and providing valuable information to open doors for underrepresented students. By opening these doors, they see that college is possible.
Until next time,
La Toya Sykes, Director
Outreach and Access Awareness
Click a link below to view past Opening Doors articles.
