Monday, February 14, 2005

Feb. 14, 2005

Wilmington, N.C. – The fourth annual North Carolina College Access Conference, the only statewide forum to address the vital issue of increasing access to postsecondary education, will be held Feb. 16-18 in Wilmington at the Hilton Riverside Hotel. Never has access to college been more important to North Carolina’s economy. As jobs evolve and the knowledge and skills required for these jobs increase, our citizens will find themselves needing additional education throughout their working years.

University of North Carolina Wilmington Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo will be the first featured speaker at the noon luncheon session Wednesday, Feb. 16 in the Grand Ballroom. Speaking after her at that session will be Elson Floyd, a native of Henderson, N.C., and current president of the University of Missouri system.

“Hosting this conference in Wilmington gives us a chance to showcase our wonderful community and campus,” said DePaolo. “I welcome this chance to talk about UNCW’s initiatives to increase diversity as well as our efforts to retain students once they enroll here.”

Guest speakers at the Thursday, Feb. 17 luncheon, also at noon in the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton, will be Howard Lee, chair, N.C. Board of Education; Steve Brooks, executive director, N.C. State Education Assistance Authority; and Susana Flores, professor, California State University Fullerton.

Friday’s keynote speaker will be Cedric Jennings, subject of the book A Hope in the Unseen by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Suskind. Jennings will discuss his journey as a student from one of Washington, D.C.’s most dangerous and drug-infested neighborhoods to becoming a Brown University freshman. Both President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush have awarded Jennings citations acknowledging him as a role model to American youth. He is a much sought-after lecturer throughout the nation on issues in education and youth advocacy. Jennings will speak at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 18 in the Hilton’s Grand Ballroom and will hold a book signing immediately thereafter.

The theme for this year’s conference, “Building the Foundation,” applies to all areas of the college access continuum whether it is building the foundation for an individual’s college education; sustaining a college access program; developing community, corporate, faith-based or other partnerships to increase access to postsecondary education; or building the foundation for a well-educated citizenry. The North Carolina College Access Conference is coordinated by The University of North Carolina Office of the President.

In attendance will be more than 375 education professionals including school administrators, K-12 teachers and counselors; higher education professionals; business and community leaders; government officials and policy makers; and college access practitioners from programs such as AVID, GEAR UP and Communities in Schools.

Conference topics include transition programs, innovative ways of increasing retention rates, preparing for the new SAT, engaging the business community, using technology in education, successful college admissions practices and Hispanic education issues.