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McNair Scholars (left to right) Ashley Brown, Desirea Jones, Nijya Saffo and Patrice Wiley have presented their research at two out-of-state conferences.

Funding renewed for McNair, Upward Bound programs

A pair of new grants totaling $2.9 million awarded to TRIO Programs at the University will help BGSU continue providing support and educational opportunities for students most in need.

The U.S. Department of Education recently announced that both the Upward Bound and Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement programs have won an additional five years of funding. BGSU is one of only two higher education institutions in the state of Ohio to receive continued funding for its McNair Program.

"I am particularly excited to have successfully competed for these grants," said Sidney Childs, executive director of TRIO Programs at BGSU. "The BGSU TRIO Programs have a long history of providing life-changing opportunities for students, helping them to realize their full potential, achieve their dreams, and change the trajectory of their families for generations to come."

The programs' continued funding was hard-won against a background of federal budget cuts, he said. Nationwide, more than a third of the approximately 200 McNair Scholars Programs were denied continued funding due to $10 million in budget cuts to the U.S. Department of Education. Three of five McNair programs in Ohio were cut. Similarly, 136 Upward Bound programs were cut across the country, representing 15 percent of existing programs.

McNair Scholars, the newest of the TRIO programs at BGSU and the recipient of a $1.2 million grant, prepares first-generation, low-income and minority undergraduates to pursue doctoral degrees and eventual careers in university teaching and research.

More than 50 students have graduated from the program since its establishment at BGSU in 2007, and more than 70 percent of those are currently enrolled in graduate programs.

The McNair Program's outcomes are striking when compared to local and national averages. According to the BGSU Office of Institutional Research, while about 30 percent of all undergraduates typically continue to graduate school, only about 12 percent of minority students do so. Nationwide, only 15 percent of graduate students are minorities.

Upward Bound, at BGSU since the early 1970s, provides a similar academic preparation program. Last summer, more than 70 Toledo Public Schools students participated in Upward Bound's six-week residential learning community at BGSU to get a taste of college life. Many of these students chose to attend BGSU, and have benefitted academically from the intensive college preparation, advising and counseling provided by the program.

"In keeping with the national agenda to increase the number of students who complete high school and are prepared for college, the Upward Bound grant is a way in which the University is doing its part to make sure the most economically challenged students in the Toledo area have access to and are ready for college," said Childs.

Over the last five years, more than 80 percent of Upward Bound graduates continued to college, and 87.5 percent achieved proficiency on Ohio's high school graduation tests.

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Celebrating President Mary Ellen Mazey's (center) signing of the climate commitment are (left to right) Lance Kruse, committee member and former sustainability intern; Dr. Nicholas Hennessy, campus sustainability coordinator; Bruce Meyer, assistant vice president for campus operations; David Neely, vice president of Undergraduate Student Government (USG), and Alex Solis, president of USG.

University commits to work toward carbon neutrality

The University officially joined the ranks of institutions of higher education dedicated to environmental sustainability yesterday (Oct. 24) when President Mary Ellen Mazey signed the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment. The president praised the efforts of the campuswide committee that had studied the issue and developed recommendations for ways in which BGSU could work toward the goal of carbon neutrality.

"We are very happy to become the 661st campus in the country to sign this agreement," she said, "and what better day to do it than on National Campus Sustainability Day?" Mazey noted that since coming to Bowling Green she had been impressed by campus efforts such as the "orange bike program" and the fact that BGSU chose "No Impact Man" as its Common Reading Experience book last year, heightening awareness of the importance of environmental sustainability.

'Annie' auditions, penny wars, BG24 News In Brief

Caryl Crane Children's Theatre is holding open auditions for its upcoming production of the musical "Annie," the United Way campaign gets into high gear with penny wars, and BG24 News announces its schedule. It's all In Brief.

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