For some high school students, affording higher education can be out of reach, and they are forced to put aside their college dreams. Although they may have the grades and determination needed to succeed at college, the tuition is often more than they can manage. That’s where College 101 comes in. Designed to teach high school juniors and seniors how to finance a college education, College 101 empowers students to find ways to finance their higher education.
In April Stony Brook served as host to 115 high school juniors from the High School for Public Service in Brooklyn for a daylong event held in the Charles B. Wang Center. The students attended lectures and workshops and learned how to find available scholarships and other funding sources. “College 101: A Day at Stony Brook,” now in its ninth year on campus, is a part of ASAP (Association for the Special Advancement of People) College 101, a program focused on increasing high school graduation and college enrollment rates among at-risk youth.
ASAP College 101 Chief Executive Officer Harold Dangervil commented on behalf of his organization and colleagues. “It was not too long ago that we were college students ourselves, coming from a lower-income family. I know the struggle that comes with not being able to afford college, and we hope this day will empower the youth to seek scholarships and financial aid.” Dangervil was joined by Vice President of Marketing Mandel Julien, and Brikener Jean-Gilles, Youth Empowerment Specialist all of whom are Stony Brook alumni.
More than 30 members of two campus organizations — Student African American Brotherhood and sorority Sigma Lambda Upsilon — volunteered during a networking session, sharing their personal stories and insights into their own college life experience. “We believe this a great way to expose high school students to successful college students that look like or come from backgrounds similar to the ones they come from,” said Melissa Espinal of Sigma Lambda Upsilon. “ It allows them to make educated decisions about their college pursuits.”
The Stony Brook volunteers also led campus tours, highlighting the new Arena, slated to open this fall. For many in the Brooklyn group, it was their first visit to a college campus. Now, armed with a new perspective, they are realizing that a college education is within their reach.
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