Tuesday, October 18, 2005

By Emily Walsh, PR Intern

Wilmington, N.C. - University of North Carolina Wilmington has scheduled its first annual 21st Century Seahawk Scholar’s Day starting at 11 a.m. on Nov. 5. The event is designed to expose area students at risk for low academic performance and their parents to UNCW and nurture their academic journey towards college attendance.

This first year will target 150 third through fifth grade students from New Hanover County’s 21st Century Community Learning Center after school programs, designed to help youth meet local and state academic standards in low performing schools.

“Our goal is to provide activities that contribute to the pursuit of a college education by the youth participants. We are striving to create on-going positive experiences that ultimately result in their admission to UNCW. We are also hopeful that, as a result of the experience, the parent participants will choose to advance their educational levels as well,” explained Kimberley Cheatham from the UNCW department of social work.

University departments involved include social work, Division of Public Service and Continuing Studies, Watson School of Education, University Athletics, Cameron School of Business, and the offices of admissions and financial aid.
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For further information please contact Arthur Frankel, UNCW professor and Director of the Center for Social Work Research & Practice, at 910/962.4115 or via e-mail at frankela@uncw.edu.