Wednesday, June 26, 2013

First-week activities build momentum as second week kicks off


By: Ripley Ahlborn

The first week of classes included numerous fun activities and presentations for the UBMS students. Tuesday, one group participated in an outdoor activity called “The Big Wind Blows,” in which students stood in a large circle and had their places marked by their backpacks. One person started in the middle of the circle and said a fact about themselves. If that fact applied to anyone else in the circle, those people would have to run across the circle and find an open spot with a backpack. The last person standing without a spot in the circle would be the next person to go in the middle. This was a great way for the students to get to know one another while enjoying the gorgeous day.
 
Another activity was called “The Human Knot.” This one engaged students by having them stand in a small circle and join hands with others in the circle, so as to tangle up their arms in a big “knot.” While difficult, this activity emphasized the importance of teamwork and effective communication in problem solving.

Wednesday, the students convened in the Stayer Center to view a presentation on cyber safety.  While no one enjoys discussing such a grave topic, it is relevant information that internet users have to be aware of. Students watched numerous examples of teenagers who were not careful online and made mistakes which had terrifying consequences. Cyber-bullying, phishing, predators, and protective measures were addressed in detail, leaving students with everything they need to know about online safety.

On Friday the UBMS team took a field trip to the Midwest Renewable Energy Association's Energy Fair in Custer, WI. The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) is a non-profit organization that "promotes renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living through education and demonstration." At the Energy Fair students learned about everything from eco-friendly building techniques to growing your own food. Solar energy was the topic of choice by keynote speaker Danny Kennedy. Kennedy discussed the recent rise in popularity of solar power and new programs which offer benefits to those who make the switch to using solar energy. Students left that day with invaluable new knowledge about preserving earth's natural environments, making use of renewable energy, and the conservation of resources.

The second week was off to a sweet and salty start as the students contested for cotton candy and popcorn after a presentation about Marian University’s TRiO/SSS program. They were taught about the Student Support Services (SSS) at Marian and the history of TRiO programs in the U.S. The presenters made it a fun experience and at the end students were easily able to recite facts that they had heard, such as how there are 2800 TRiO programs in the U.S.

The students also received a valuable lesson on transitioning to leadership roles after a session led by recent Marian graduate Reggie Parsons. Parsons began his discussion with his roots in a less desirable part of Chicago, to his initial failures in college when he got a poor GPA his freshman year. He engaged the class in an activity in which they were asked to think of times they had failed in life, and then to share them with the class. The point was that that people cannot be afraid of failure or judgment, or they will be holding themselves back.

Parsons went on to talk about how he matured after his first year of college by taking on leadership roles in clubs, getting several jobs, enrolling in the McNair Scholars program, and more. He then asked the class to write down how they’ve grown in the last two to three years, and afterwards to share some with the class. One student said that he’s began to volunteer a lot, and another said that he’s been able to figure out what their career and life goals are. Others stated that they’ve been striving to become more independent in order to prepare for college, and that they figured out the value of eliminating the negatives in life. Parsons’s discussion was thought provoking and left the students in a bright mood as they went home on Monday.

Monday, June 24, 2013

UBMS at Marian University: first day of the first year!

By: Ripley Ahlborn and Prince Herdle


Upward Bound Math and Science Director Garry Moise gave a warm welcome on June 17, 2013, as students from Fond du Lac High School and Horace Mann High School came to Marian University for their first day of the program. The auditorium was buzzing as Marian’s administrative team greeted the students and interacted with them. Sister Marie Scott began the day positively by engaging the audience in a vivid reflection. 

Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Edward Ogle introduced students to significant members of the Marian community, including Marian’s newest addition, Mr. Robert Fale, who is serving as the university’s current interim president. Fale, on his first day of the job, gave very encouraging remarks to the students as they embark on their new adventure in learning.

Tracy Abler, UBMS Program Specialist, led the students in an activity in which they were divided into groups and were each asked to list and write down what their expectations of the program were. Many expressed interests in learning about the academics and experiences of higher education, and hope that the program will get them ready for college.

 Students in a small group discussing program expectations
  
Dee Harmsen and Matt Rose, Directors of Student Services and Campus Safety respectively, taught students all the safety tips they need to know, such as how to avoid theft, and the proper procedures for all types of emergencies. After introducing the UBMS instructors, the students were dismissed for lunch in the Hornung Student Center.

After lunch, students convened back at the Arthur Sadoff Auditorium to meet with the Admissions Office staff. An Admissions Office representative gave a brief presentation with various facts and statistics about the University before dividing the students into groups to begin their campus tours.

Afterwards, the UBMS participants were asked what they learned from the tours. One student stated that the people around Marian were very friendly, and another commented on how much nature and wildlife was around the campus. Several students said they thought the campus was so big that they might get lost!

Dr. Jim Dunphy, the UBMS Program Evaluator, gave the students a short assessment to gauge their interests in Chemistry, Physics, Math, English, and ACT Prep. Following the test, Dunphy lightened the mood of the room by sharing stories of his teaching career and gave away a free t-shirt to one lucky student.
 
Finally, after being instructed by Information Technology staff on the proper use of the school computers, and by UBMS staff on handbook policies, the 2013 UBMS class was well-prepared for success on their first day of class on Tuesday.

 The 2013 UBMS Class, at the Arthur H. Sadoff Auditorium

Thursday, June 6, 2013

A call to pursue science and math college degrees

By: Prince Herdle

On May 29, 2013 students and parents of Marian University’s Upward Bound Science and Math (UBMS) Program attended a presentation by Jim Cleveland the keynote speaker who serves as the Director of Educational programs at Fond du Lac Association of Commerce.
Students ranging from grades 9 through 12 were all ears for this presentation on the vast opportunities that exist in careers in manufacturing. Adding 17 years of working in finance and 6 years in commerce, Cleveland has come to know the industry inside and out.
That night Cleveland demonstrated the nation’s needs for a high skilled work force through recent statistics. It became clear to parents and students that there is a growing demand but just not enough supply in terms of educated manufacturing employees.
Cleveland explained of how the 2008 recession caused a surge of early retirements in the baby boomer generation, resulting in a continuously increasing lack of skilled workers to replace them. A 2011 study by the Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce reveals that 35% of workers plan to retire in the next 10 years and 51.1% over the next 15 years. Historically 33% has been the most to retire in a 15 year period.
Science, technology, engineering and math skills were the focus point of the night.  Cleveland believes that through Marian University’s UBMS program young people can gain the skills and college preparation necessary to fill the gaps in the workforce.
Due to the overwhelming loss of workers and the shift in the types of skills needed to fill these positions, companies in the Fond du Lac community are in desperate need of college graduates with science and math related backgrounds. With a lack of qualified Americans to fill these vacancies, companies will be left with no other choice than seek individuals from outside the country.
Wisconsin, as the second biggest manufacturing state, stands to take the biggest blow from the loss of workers. With 16% of its workforce in manufacturing Wisconsin leads the Nation in revenue from goods exported with 20.7 billion annually. In Fond du Lac County manufacturing jobs make up 20% of the employment base and 26.6% percent of total payroll.
The main message to Marian University’s UBMS students was to invest in the future so that they may be part of it. From everything that Cleveland revealed, it is clear that if the young people of today are to be the engineers, marketers, graphic designers, Information technology specialists, financiers and healthcare professionals of the future they will need to invest in at the very minimum a four year college degree to do so.
In response to the workforce’s new demands, Marian University’s UBMS program has positioned itself to prepare students for a successful future. Through a variety of services including college level guidance and training in science and math, academic support and counseling, college admission preparation and career planning, the program provides local students with exactly what they need to succeed in their future careers.

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