by givebackdv | Jul 17, 2020 | Partners, Scholars
Give Back’s partnership with Binghamton University provides our scholars with support in the form of tutoring, mentorship, and connections with students and faculty on campus. We do not doubt that our students will have a seamless transition to higher education because of our great partners. We work with an excellent trio that makes it all happen, Michelle Gardner, Craig Broccoli, and Steve Rebello. Michelle helped start our partnership and set up our pre-paid scholarships. Craig will guide our students through the University’s application process, and Steve will ensure our students receive supports on campus. Let’s learn more about their work and vision.
Michelle Gardner is the Senior Director of Foundation Relations and Campaign Gift Strategies, and also a Binghamton alumna. She describes her work as more than fundraising for the University. She brings together people who want to change the world through academic quality with those who can. Michelle works with Binghamton’s alumni network each day to support students who wish to make the world a better place. Before her work in higher education, Michelle worked in politics and public relations. Now, she cannot imagine doing her job for anything but public higher education. “Your work is easier if you care about what you do and worthwhile if you have a passion behind it,” Michelle says.
Michelle has a witty sense of humor that will make you laugh for minutes at a time. She holds that if you spend too much time with her, she will ask for a donation to the University. She wants the best for Binghamton University and its students. When asked about her hopes for Give Back scholars, she yearns for the scholars to find success and themselves in whichever form that means. “I want them to be successful and give to students like they were given to or share a wealth of experiences with students,” Michelle noted.
Craig Broccoli is the Associate Director of Admissions. He describes his work as engagement with students wherever they are in their application process. Craig reviews thousands of applications a year. He also helps students navigate their selected academic programs and get to the next step on campus.
Craig guides students through the EOP program and the Binghamton Advantage program. The EOP program provides support and advocacy for students who meet academic and financial criteria from the time of admission through graduation and beyond. The Binghamton Advantage Program is a joint admissions program that allows students to live on Binghamton University campus while taking SUNY Broome classes with the opportunity to transfer to Binghamton after one or two years. Students in the program have access to smaller classes and receive advising from SUNY Broome and Binghamton.
Craig is a Binghamton alumnus and an Engineer with a passion for solving problems. His admiration for Binghamton empowers him to connect high school students to the University because it is a low-cost academic platform making palpable changes in the world. Craig is energetic, kind, and dedicated. During a virtual information session for our high school juniors, he engaged with our students. He had them asking question after question for over 90 minutes! He hopes that Give Back scholars realize they are capable of so much. “Meet students from all over the world and find your team with a drive to make a change,” Craig notes.
Steve Rebello is the Director of TRIO – Student Support Services. He works to bring students up to speed with the University’s level of academics. Once students commit to the University, they are invited to TRIO and the Summer Bridge program. Both programs ensure students connect with each other, TRIO staff, and the campus community. Steve always knew he wanted to work with youth. He worked as an Orientation and a Biology Teacher, before joining Binghamton University. However, Steve yearned to help students overcome obstacles as a counselor. He realized he could enable many teachable moments outside of the classroom.
Steve is passionate and wise. His passion for education equity becomes evident through his insights and descriptions of Binghamton’s support services. He hopes that Give Back scholars “avoid preconceived ideas of who they are going to be and are open to changes they experience while on campus.” Whether by meeting new people or taking courses outside of their majors to explore areas of interest, “open your eyes to all the university and world has to offer,” Steve says.
Michelle, Craig, and Steve would love for a Give Back, and Binghamton alumnus to reach the White House, return to campus for commencement, and tell the graduates that they could achieve such a goal. Where will they be? All three agree that they will likely be cheering loudly in the audience.
Thank you, Michelle, Craig, and Steve, for opening doors for access to education. It is an honor to work with you.
Photo Credits: Binghamton University/ Jonathan Cohen ©
by givebackdv | May 18, 2020 | Partners, Scholars
Our partner colleges are working hard to accommodate and support current and future students affected by the coronavirus. All colleges extended enrollment deadlines, facilitate virtual academic advising, and share coronavirus resources. In part two of this blog series, we will examine the different measures implemented by partner colleges in Illinois and Kansas to guide and assist students while they are at home.
ILLINOIS
Lewis University
Most university employees and offices are open virtually in response to the global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Students are advised to review the updated schedule for university administrative office hours: https://www.lewisu.edu/covid-19/businesshours.htm. Students and staff on campus for essential business must display a student, faculty, or staff ID to the Lewis University Police Department at the front entrance.
Lewis University is committed to supporting students as they transition to online classes and online learning. As a result, peer-to-peer tutoring is available online, and students can access Brainfuse, a service of real tutors in a wide range of subjects, including English, Math, and Science. The University also set up general email inboxes for questions, concerns, and accommodations. Students can email academicservices@lewisu.edu or learningaccess@lewisu.edu. More details on academic support and resources for students can be found at www.lewisu.edu/academicsupport.
For COVID-19 information, students can visit this website: https://lewisu.edu/covid-19/index.htm.
Blackburn College
Blackburn College’s Biology department has donated 1,200 medical examination gloves and 10 high-grade respirators to Illinois hospitals in efforts to assist with the health crisis.
The faculty and staff are supporting students over email and phone and giving them tailor-made individual advice for how to continue forward. Refund and emergency relief checks for unused housing and food charges will be coming to many students. Also, students will receive full credit for their Work Program tuition credit despite not working in the last eight weeks. This is a $1250 benefit to each student in the Work Program.
A staff member opened her home to a student with nowhere to return to when the campus closed. The student will stay with the staff member throughout the summer. Virtual counseling is also available by scheduling an appointment with Counseling Services at tim.morenz@blackburn.edu or jenny.langley@blackburn.edu.
Students are grateful for the college’s hands-on approach to this unprecedented challenge. A current Blackburn student expressed the following appreciation to her professor:
“I just wanted to reach out to express how extremely grateful I am for your understanding, and just for you really care about your students. Going through what we all are right now, I have learned a lot about people, my professors especially, and I just want you to know that I really do appreciate how you’re doing this class … thank you for being nice and knowing that we’re all struggling in our own ways right now.”
For COVID-19 information, students can visit this website: https://blackburn.edu/coronavirus/
KANSAS
Wichita State University
Wichita State University has allocated half of its CARE act awarded funds – approximately $4.4 million – to emergency financial aid grants for eligible students. The Wichita State Foundation also set up a fund for COVID-19 related expenses for students. See more information here: https://www.wichita.edu/about/wsunews/news/2020/03-march/shockers_up_wichita_state_5.php.
Undergraduate students struggling with the academic transition can adjust course grades from the assigned letter grade to a credit/non-credit option, and an unsatisfactory/unsatisfactory option is available for graduate students. Frequently asked questions are answered on this resource page: https://www.wichita.edu/about/public_information/wsu_topics/topicscovid-19/index.php.
Pittsburg State University
The Pittsburg State University Student Success team is offering student success workshops twice a week. Topics include stress management and tips on learning in an online environment, and program updates can be found here: https://twitter.com/PSUSuccess.
The University also provided laptops for students that needed them to continue with online classes at home. Frequently asked questions are answered on this resource page: https://www.pittstate.edu/office/health-services/coronavirus/index.html#undefined16.
Baker University
Baker University set up its Outreach Network Student Concern form. Faculty, staff, and students can request assistance for themselves or others based on concerns with both academic and personal issues due to online learning here: https://bakeruniversity.formstack.com/forms/cas_faculty_outreach.
Students at the College of Arts and Sciences also had the opportunity to request that courses for the spring 2020 term be graded Pass/NC. Peer tutoring and the writing center are available online. Information on how to access tutors and the writing center are detailed on this resource page: https://www.bakeru.edu/coronavirus/coronavirus-faq/.
Kansas State University
Recognizing the financial challenges many students experience due to the COVID-19 crisis, Kansas State University is significantly reducing online fees for summer school undergraduate and graduate courses this year. For more information, visit the Division of Financial Services, https://www.k-state.edu/finsvcs/cashiers/costs/summer-2020/.
The University also developed resource pages and videos to assist students with the transition to online learning:
– https://www.k-state.edu/keeplearning/
– https://www.k-state.edu/its/helpdesk/
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPR00vcOlrk&feature=emb_logo
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o–H2Put0Ds&feature=youtu.be
Kansas State University enacted a K State Today Student Edition for current and potential students to find all virtual events, local news, and publications in one place. This update releases Monday-Friday and can be accessed here: https://www.k-state.edu/today/students/.
For KSU COVID-19 resources and updates, students can visit: https://www.k-state.edu/covid-19/index.html.
We here at Give Something Back are proud to call all these outstanding colleges our partners!
by givebackdv | May 17, 2020 | Partners, Scholars
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused hardships and uncertainty for many students around the United States. Most of our partner colleges have transitioned to distance learning for the remainder of the spring and summer 2020 semesters. In New York, the epicenter of the pandemic, our partner colleges are making great strides to ensure students start and continue their education. Our partner colleges are making great strides to ensure students start and continue their education. In part one of this blog series, we will note the different measures implemented by partner colleges in New York to guide and assist students while they are at home.
Queens College
To navigate the academic transitions, students can connect with advisors virtually through FaceTime, Google HangOut, Skype, and Zoom. To make a virtual appointment, students can call the Academic Advising Center at (718) 997-5599, email advising@qc.cuny.edu, or download the QC Navigate app from the Apple Store or Google Play.
Queens College is also loaning Chromebooks and iPads through the Spring Semester to provide students with vital technology for distance learning. Students can request these loaner devices through the Office of the Provost, which mails the devices directly to the students’ preferred mailing addresses. Additionally, remote library access is available using live chat with a librarian or the QC ID.
Students seeking socio-emotional support and assistance with academic-related stress may access free services of a licensed mental health professional through the Counseling, Health, & Wellness Center. Students are encouraged to call (718) 997-5420 and leave a message with their contact information. Callbacks take place during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, from 9 AM to 5 PM.
To prevent food insecurity in the lives of its students, Queens College established the Knights Table Pantry in 2018. The Pantry continues to provide enrolled students with access to non-perishable food items for themselves and immediate family members. Students can access the Pantry via appointments only. Students are advised to email KnightsTable@qc.cuny.edu or call 718-997-0393.
Mercy College
In response to the pandemic, Mercy College changed its grading policy. Each student can select the credit earned or the no earned credit option for any individual Spring 2020 course starting Monday, April 20, 2020. The deadline to complete this request is Thursday, May 7, 2020. However, once a student selects the credit earned or the no earned credit option, they are unable to change back to a letter grade. Students struggling with the transition to online learning can also secure tutoring services. The Tutoring Center is offering online tutoring services on a revised schedule and by appointment only through the Mercy Campus EAB platform.
Mercy College’s Student Counseling Center is offering all appointments through the virtual platform, Doxy.me. To schedule an appointment, students must email CounselingCenter@mercy.edu. Students facing technical issues with their Blackboard platform, emails, or computers can connect with Mercy’s IT Helpdesk. The Helpdesk is available 24/7 at helpdesk@mercy.edu or (914) 674-7526.
Mercy College is committed to keeping its students informed and safe. It has developed the resource pages below to aid in this task:
Hunger Relief & Social Services: https://www.mercy.edu/student-affairs/mav-market/resources
Emotional Wellbeing: https://www.mercy.edu/student-affairs/counseling-services
Career & Professional Development: https://www.mercy.edu/about-mercy/coronavirus-information/career-and-professional-development-resources
Online Support: https://www.mercy.edu/about-mercy/online-student-resources
Binghamton University
To navigate the academic transitions, students have the option of connecting virtually to academic advisors via email, phone, and Zoom. The Student Services webpage includes information on how to contact and set up appointments with each of Binghamton University’s schools. A Pass/Fail policy was also implemented for the Spring 2020 semester, which applies to most undergraduate students, except for those in academic programs with licensure or accreditation regulations.
Binghamton University created a website with information for students on how to use technology successfully, communicate in an online environment and remain motivated when taking classes online. Students lacking devices necessary for online learning can submit a request for a laptop, Wi-Fi HotSpot, or other electronic equipment through the University’s Center for Learning and Teaching (CLT).
Students with food insecurity can still access the campus Food Pantry via an online ordering process. The online ordering form asks for a student’s first name, Binghamton University’s ID number, and a choice of day/time for pickup. The Pantry’s staff bag the items and have them ready at the requested pickup time. The form is available each week at 3 PM Friday for the following week’s orders.
Binghamton University remains committed to keeping its students physically and mentally healthy. It has set up the resource pages below to aid in this task:
Academic Continuity website
BFirst
B-Healthy
The CARE Team
Health Promotion and Prevention Services
Meditation labyrinth
Services for Students with Disabilities
Stay tuned for more details on what our partner colleges in the Midwest are doing to support current and prospective scholars!
by givebackdv | Mar 16, 2020 | Partners, Scholars
Our high school and community partners provide future and current Give Back scholars with mentoring, and academic support. Partner school, Whitney Point High School is no exception. Located in northern Broome County, NY, Whitney Point HS is committed to providing high-quality education and professional development to its students. Whitney Point students in grades 9 through 12 receive the individual attention and support they need to succeed with a student to teacher ratio of 12:1.
One of the places where this support has been taking place is in the Resource Center or Drop-in, which has provided a quiet and friendly place for students for several years. The space was so popular and successful that students advocated to increase its hours. The space is now open daily for students to come down during lunch or study hall. Students work on homework, do puzzles, play games, or connect in what they have come to know as their safe space. The Center has a back room that has been designated a quiet room for students to use if they need fewer distractions while doing homework or a quiet place to unwind. Our Give Back students meet at the Center with their mentor and Community Schools Coordinator, Dorothea Primavera. The scholars have even made it rule to take advantage of the Center’s resources outside of mentoring sessions!
Whitney Point emphasizes self-love and positive affirmations in its Center. With the help of fellows from Binghamton University’ graduate social work program, undergraduate interns and volunteers, students have the opportunity to talk with individuals they can connect and relate with. They also receive social-emotional and academic support. “This space certainly impacts the success of our school and the ability to give individualized attention to students with whatever they may need,” Primavera says.
Give Back is honored to partner with a school committed to seeing its students thrive academically and personally.
by givebackdv | Feb 20, 2020 | Partners
On January 30, representatives from Goals and Assists — the partnership between Give Something Back and the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, presented a $500,000 check to Neumann University that would pre-pay scholarships for students in need.
President and CEO of the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, Scott Tharp, and Board of Directors Chairman Bill Whitmore presented the check to university president, Dr. Chris Domes. President Domes expressed his gratitude for Neumann University being chosen as the fifth partner school for Goals and Assists. He compared the mission statement of Goals and Assists to that of Neumann University — and found them to be aligned in important ways.
“Our students are bigger than just a sport; bigger than just a classroom experience,” President Domes said. “We are transforming lives together,”
The Goals and Assists program, with its focus on teaching good citizenship to scholars, matches how Neumann University works to imbue students with a sense of responsibility and stewardship in their community and beyond.
“We’re proud of all our university partners, and Neumann is one of the few universities that targets the type of child we serve,” said Tharp, referring to Neumann University’s student population where 99% receive financial aid of some kind and 75% are the first in their family to attend college.
Scott and Bill also presented President Domes and Board Chair Ann Baiada with honorary hockey jerseys – both sporting #20 to commemorate 2020.
President Domes concluded the event by inviting some of the students attending Neumann University through the Goals and Assists program to join them for a photo. One of the students, Georgia Wunder, is currently in her freshman year at Neumann. She plays on the women’s hockey team and appreciates the positive impact the program has had on her personally.
“Snider [Youth Hockey Foundation] has helped me in terms of being a better citizen and conducting myself professionally,” Wunder said. She explained that the organization’s influence is not merely athletics-based — she has learned valuable soft skills that will better equip her to deal with scouting and networking throughout her athletic and academic career.
Neumann University, located in Aston, Pennsylvania, promises to be an excellent partner for Give Back and the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation through the Goals and Assists program. The five pillars that hold up the ceiling of the Bayada Atrium within the school’s Mirenda Center for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development each list one word that rings true for scholars in the Goals and Assists program: Play, Beauty, Reflection, Balance, and Respect.
