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Coordinating Board
awards TWU largest work-study mentorship grant in state
8/17/07
DENTON —
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has
awarded Texas Woman’s University a $214,500 grant for
the university’s student-mentorship program, which is
designed to increase college enrollment among first-generation
college students in Texas. TWU’s G-Force program received
the most funding of any university in the state.
G-Force members
mentor high school students, participate in college enrollment
workshops and help to staff TWU-sponsored Go Centers in area
high schools. A Go Center is a physical space in a high school
that offers students admission and financial aid application
assistance and other information to encourage greater participation
in higher education by potential first generation college
students.
“The TWU
G-Force program has been a great success in exposing more
potential first-generation students to the college experience,”
TWU Chancellor and President Dr. Ann Stuart said. “I
am pleased that the THECB has recognized the achievements
of our G-Force program and is rewarding the students with
these funds.”
TWU currently operates
11 Go Centers in four North Texas counties and also has a
new Mobile Go Center, funded by the THECB Foundation, that
will travel to area high schools starting in the fall. TWU’s
G-Force is the largest in the state with 55 student members.
As part of
the state’s new Work-Study Student Mentorship Program,
the THECB is allocating funds to institutions of higher education
with existing G-Force programs based on the number of student
mentors in the program.
“TWU has
been a stellar partner in helping close the gaps in higher
education as exemplified by their development of a successful
collegiate G-Force model,” said Chris Alvarado, director
of outreach initiatives for the THECB. “TWU’s
willingness to provide trainings to other local institutions
of higher education in Texas exemplifies the university as
a leader in helping the state meet its goal of increasing
the number of first-generation college students.”
The grant will
allow G-Force members who qualify for state work-study —
where students are paid for their on-campus or select off-campus
jobs with state funds as part of their financial aid —
to be hired as TWU student workers and be paid for their mentorship,
presentation and Go-Center staffing hours. The students, who
will work an average of 15 to 20 hours a week, will receive
these work-study wages in addition to stipends from TWU, which
range from $400 to $1,000 per semester.
“For the
members of G-Force, the money will help us pay for tuition,
books and other expenses, so of course it’s a positive
reward for our commitment to the G-Force,” said Melina
Ruiz, a TWU junior, social work major and the G-Force vice
president. “Even more than that, the funds are an incentive
for members to stay enrolled at TWU.”
“The new
work-study funding will enable more students to join the G-Force,”
Dr. Richard Nicholas, TWU vice president for student life,
said. “Our goal is to increase the program as we receive
requests to open more Go Centers in area high schools.”
Dr. Nicholas adds
that this fall TWU will have G-Force members who were themselves
mentored by the G-Force in high school.
“TWU also
has seen a remarkable increase in college applicants from
the high schools where we have Go Centers, and we aren’t
the only university to experience an increase in applications
from these schools,” he said.
More information
on TWU’s G-Force and Go Centers is available at www.twu.edu/o-sl/intercultural/GoCenter.html.
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For Further Information
Contact:
Amanda McKeen Simpson
Director of News and Information
Tel: (940) 898-3456
e-mail: asimpson1@twu.edu
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