The Battle of the Seven Year Itch - National Council for Community

Presented by: Donnie Anderson
Overview
 Oklahoma GEAR UP not only provides students
access to college but also focuses on student success
in college through the utilization of college liaisons.
A college liaison from Rose State College will provide
an overview of the various events that take place
throughout the year for GEAR UP students to prepare
them for postsecondary success while in high school
and to assist with college retention during their college
freshman year.
Donnie Anderson
 Certification-Automotive Collision Technology
 Associates in Science-Liberal Studies
 Bachelors in Science- Liberal Studies
 Masters in Education- Adult and Higher Education
Rose State College
 Located in Midwest City, OK
 60 Degree and Skilled Occupational programs
 Enrollment: 11,897
 Average class size: 19
 Median age: 24
 Mean age: 27
 Gender: 58.6% female; 41.4% male
 Minority Population: 41.7%
Oklahoma GEAR UP
Oklahoma GEAR UP partners
with 24 school districts across
the state. More than 21,000
students benefit each year
from direct services as we
work within schools and
communities, providing
activities that help students
better prepare for and
succeed in college.
What is a College Liaison?

The GEAR UP Liaison works with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education’s federally
funded initiative aimed at student early awareness and readiness for college assisting the identified
GEAR UP 24 Local Education Agencies (LEA’s) 7th-12th grade students in matriculation to Rose State
College. The College Liaison will primarily assist and support the specified LEA’s students with
college preparation and career goals and options. As well as working with specified high schools and
their students, the College Liaison will work with parents , high school counselors and administrators
to inform them of specific college requirements, financial planning, scholarships, and students
support service. They will work with the community college faculty advisors to identify academic
options, choose academic strategies, and help with enrollment. The College Liaison will also act as a
resource for academic information, financial aid information and decision-making strategies once the
student arrives on the campus. This position will work with students from GEAR UP schools in the
areas of identifying student support services that will aid in the transition to college. The College
Liaison will assist the college in tracking and understanding the perspective of a GEAR UP student
and will work with the specified College Registrars to implement degree completion activities. The
GEAR UP College Liaison will be expected to work with each entity; GEAR UP schools, colleges, and
students/parents in an effective, positive, and professional manner to convey to a diverse constituency
the features and benefits of a higher education degree. They will report to Dean for
Student/Academic Services at the respective community college.
What is a College Liaison?
A Resource
A Mentor
An Advisor
A Friend
Why a Community College?
Rose State Students
 Catoosa-2
 Elk City-2
 Checotah-7
 Hobart-2
 Henryetta-1
 Duncan-14
 Newkirk-1
 Guymon-1
 Sapulpa-2
 Woodward-7
• Little Axe-51
• McLoud-135
• Harrah-179
• Tecumseh-40
• Luther-45
 Ardmore-11
 Davis-3
 Madill-3
 Marietta-3
19/24 schools represented
509 total students
Fall 2013
What does a College Liaison do?
Scratching the
th
Itch-7
Grade
More
th
Fun!-7
Grade
 Athletics
 Student Clubs &




Organizations
Dorm Life
Traditions
Assignments
Getting Involved!
COLLEGE CAMPUS
TOURS
Scratching the
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
th
Itch-8
Grade
Graduate from an Oklahoma high school or home school
education program.
Take the 17 units of college prep high school courses and
achieve at least a 2.50 cumulative GPA in those courses.
Achieve at least a 2.50 cumulative GPA for all courses in
grades 9-12.
Attend school regularly.
Do your homework.
Stay away from drugs and alcohol.
Don’t commit criminal or delinquent acts.
Meet with a school official to go over your school work
and records on a regular basis.
Apply for other financial aid during your senior year of
high school.
Take part in Oklahoma’s Promise activities that will
prepare you for college.
Freshman Year
 Rookie Camps
 Approximately 5,628 students entering high school and their
families participated in freshman rookie camp events. These
included special programs hosted by the high schools in all 24
districts to acclimate new students to their high school campus.
Rookie Camps included student facility tours, teacher meet and
greets, student organization information, leadership development
scholarship and college information
 Continue to push Oklahoma’s Promise
Sophomore Year
 Final push for Oklahoma’s Promise
 Promote at parent/teacher conferences
 Sporting events
 Continued college campus tours
 Start the conversation about concurrent enrollment
Junior Year
• Concurrent Enrollment
• College Campus Tours
• ACT Prep Workshops
• A total of 1,039 juniors
and seniors completed
an ACT Prep workshop
Senior Year!!!
 College App Week
 More than 1,719
high school seniors
completed 2,719
college applications
during College App
Week hosted by
GEAR UP in Nov.
2013.
Senior Year!!!
 Are You Ready For College Presentation
 Importance of attending orientation



Learning traditions
Meeting new people
Learn about clubs and organizations
 Housing reminders and contact information
 Paying for college
 Advising
 Misc.
 Lingo
 Health Insurance
 Student ID’s
First-Year Orientation
FAFSA Information Sessions
• Students and parents are able to
attend and receive tips with the
FAFSA application process
• Learn about the different types
of financial aid available
• Information that is needed to
complete the application
process
• Offer scholarship information
• Warn of scams
College Campus Activities
 Raider Rush
 Raider Dayz
 GEAR UP Meetings
 Native American STEM Event
 Spring Into Campus
 E-mails about Campus Events
 Deadline Reminders
 Clubs and Organizational Events
 Parent Leadership Academy
Question/Comments