Wednesday, February 19, 2003

Note: UNCW is posting this release at the request of the UNC Office of the President. For more information contact Fiona Baxter-Reid at 919-843-5875.



CHAPEL HILL-The University of North Carolina Office of the President is organizing a three-day conference in Wilmington from February 26-28, to share information and resources regarding access to higher education. Designed around the theme “Piecing it all together,” the event will bring together representatives from college access programs, K-12 school districts, and colleges and universities from across the state and the nation.

Sean Covey, author of the national bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, will deliver the opening keynote address at a luncheon on Wednesday, February 26. Son of author and inspirational speaker Stephen Covey, Sean is also a well-known speaker to both youth and adults around the world. The Honorable Sally Stroup, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Postsecondary Education, will be the guest speaker at the luncheon on Thursday, February 27. Stroup coordinates department programs relating to financial assistance for eligible students enrolled in higher education institutions and recommends policies to recruit and prepare disadvantaged students to enroll and complete postsecondary educational programs.

The conference is especially r

elevant to practitioners and policy makers who wish to learn more about collaborative initiatives that can create systemic change in our schools to increase our college-going rate. North Carolina has some of the most affordable public universities in the nation, yet less than a quarter of state residents have a four-year college degree (highereducation.org).

A diverse array of representatives from TRIO programs, GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), Communities in Schools, Advancement Via Individual Determination (A.V.I.D.), and other college access initiatives will lead educational sessions addressing topics such as advocacy, program evaluation, sustainability, mentoring and tutoring, and equipping students for college

At a luncheon on Thursday, February 27, a “College Access Quilt” will be unveiled and presented to J.B. Buxton, Senior Education Advisor to Governor Easley. More than 40 college access programs contributed squares to the quilt, which reflects the many collaborative efforts currently underway to help students reach their full potential. According to Donnelle Graham, the conference planning committee member who made the quilt, "The conference is the culmination of a shared vision to see college access programs work together.”

Throughout the three-day event, student groups from Pender, Halifax, and Hertford County Schools will provide entertainment. The conference will conclude with an address from Joe Martin, nationally renowned motivational speaker, author, and president of Real World University.