Freshman Institute prepares to launch pilot program || St. Clair County Community College



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May 4, 2005

Freshman Institute prepares to launch pilot program

The Freshman Institute will soon begin enrolling high school graduates in a new program that begins this summer. Invitations have gone out to students in the Port Huron Area School District selected for participation in the pilot program.

The project was developed earlier this year by St. Clair County Community College (SC4) and St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) in response to the December 2004 findings of Lt. Gov. John Cherry’s Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth. The Cherry Commission is charged with doubling the number of Michigan residents with college degrees or other post-high school credentials.

The Freshman Institute is a support system designed to help first-time college students achieve success. The program begins with a special one-week orientation June 20-24. During group sessions, students will become familiar with campus, learn about career options, and access a variety of resources from financial aid to study skills.

Each student will receive individual academic support and a personalized plan to achieve academic success.

Dr. Gus Demas, SC4 provost, said one of the key benefits of the program is each student’s connection to a personal support team. “Each student will have a student from the college’s honor society Phi Theta Kappa, a member of the college’s faculty or staff, and a mentor from the local business community – all three of these leaders focused on the student’s success during that crucial first academic year,” Demas said.

“The stakes are high for our students and for our community as we look to higher education to open doors to more careers in today’s tough Michigan economy,” Demas said. “Developing a well-trained, well-educated workforce is imperative to attracting new business and industry to St. Clair County.”

By teaming the resources of SC4, RESA, and the business community, the Freshman Institute will focus on student retention, and provide the training and extra support to help students finish their degrees and gain valuable job skills.

Lt. Gov. Cherry has described the project as an important step forward for this community in helping its young people become prepared for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

Citizens First Savings Bank donated $18,000 to help launch the Institute.

An informational kickoff meeting is set for May 18 at St. Clair County Community College. After measuring the success of the pilot program, SC4 and RESA plan to extend the Freshman Institute to additional students throughout St. Clair County.

More information is available at www.sc4.edu/freshman or by calling Steve Fosgard, SC4 special projects coordinator, at 810-989-5747.