MARCH 2011

Multicultural Retention College of Arts and Sciences

D I V E R S E S U C C E S S

The Diverse Success program was created in the Fall

of 2008 by Ms. JohnElla Holmes, instructor of Ameri-

can Ethnic Studies in the college of Arts and Sci-

ences, as a way to track and assist multicultural stu-

dents with their academics. Currently, Ms. JohnElla

has two Graduate assistants and two undergraduate

student workers aiding 155+ undergraduates. The

program uses a KSOL online, Skype and face-to-face

system to help students become academically inde-

pendent at KSU. Diverse success utilizes K-State

online to contact students that may be in academic

trouble and provide them with resources to get back

on track, persist, and graduate from KSU. It is de-

signed to provide students with graduate level pro-

fessional mentoring to help guide them through the

multiple resources provided on the K-State campus

such as tutoring, counseling, enrollment, financial

aide etc. The first year saw a 93% success rate. Skype is used to contact students either getting their degree

or taking courses primarily through Department of Continue Education (DCE), but majoring in a College of Arts

and Sciences program placed on academic warning/probation or students on the main campus.

Front row: Karla Camacho-Godoy, Yasirah Coles-Matos,

Kenni Fitzpatrick and Alejandra Romero

Back row: Oscar Garcia, Philip Gomez, Yessica Prato,

Edgar Tafolla, Karem Roman, Uriel Barrera and Kenny

Varela

Katherine (Katie) Rotunno is a new GA in our Diverse

Success program, Graduate Assistant, Master's of

Accountancy, BS Accounting for KSU. She joined our

team this semesters as the statistician and tutor.

Karla Camacho-Godoy GA Janneil Frederick GA

Director JohnElla Holmes

IMPORTANT DATES

MARCH– Irish American History Month and Women’s Month

March 9, Semillas Learning Communities meeting, 5 – 6:00 pm, Union room 203

March 7-18, individual appointments Mid-term evaluations – Ms. Frederick or Ms. Camacho-Godoy

March 14, Mid-semester DCE classes begin

March 15, Wimba Classroom, special guest, Dr. Larry Moeder, Assistant Vice President/Director

Financial Aid

March 21, Last day to drop with a ―W‖ you have to get permission from your instructor

March 21-25 Spring Break, enjoy and come back ready to finish strong!

March 28 Enrollment for summer/fall 2011 begins

March 31-April 1, Diversity Summit, honoring and recognizing the women of K-State

APRIL-Jazz Appreciation and Sexual Assault Month

April 12, Wimba Classroom

April 13, Semillas Learning Communities

Dr. Noel Schulz and the cast ―For Colored Girls who

have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is

Enuf‖

Dr. Doug Benson, Professor Modern Language and District

Judge Maritza Segarra, Guest speaker at Multicultural Stu-

dent Fair

Commerce Bank Award winners for Enhanced

services for Multicultural Students: Tom Giller

President Commerce Bank presenter, Dr. Zelia

Wiley, Assistant Dean for Diversity College of

Agriculture (faculty winner) and Samuel Britton

Nuclear Engineering and Applied Music Sr

(student winner)

Connecting Across Topics (CAT)

Communities is a learning communities

program for first-year students at Kansas

State University. A great way for students to

get their academic start at K-State is a CAT

Community. These learning communities

are designed around student interests, and

they offer mentoring from a professor and

an advanced undergraduate Learning

Assistant who shares the students'

interests. They are also a great place for

students to meet each other and to study

together.

Space is limited as each learning

community only has 22 seats available. As

long as space is available, students may

sign up by e-mail. Students may only sign

up for one CAT community, and they should

not sign up if they already have college

credit for one or both of the main classes in

the CAT community.

A group of 22 students enroll in two general

education courses and one connections

course together during the fall semester.

The two main courses count toward

graduation in most programs, and the

friendly faces in your CAT community make

the larger, mostly lecture-based classes

feel a lot smaller. Once a week, students

meet in a connections course with this core

group of classmates and a professor from

one of the main classes to apply what the

students have been learning. An

undergraduate student who has been

successful in the same courses will assist

with the class and answer questions about

college life, learning, and activities. The CAT

Communities are also a great place to

make friends that just might last a lifetime

MARCH 2011

The purpose of the First-Year

Seminars (FYS) program is to

help students make the

transition to university courses

and college-level learning. In

this effort, the FYS's focus

attention on the intellectual

skills that students need to

flourish at the university. As a

place to ask questions about

the University and practice the

skills needed to succeed as a

first-year student, these courses

provide support for the

transition into college life and

the K-State community.

Each seminar is a

special FYS of a regular,

academic, general education

class. Although the academic

content varies among the

seminars, each seminar focuses

on a distinctive, college-level

academic subject. The most

important goal of these

seminars is to provide

fundamental support to K-

State's academic mission and

its focus on student learning.

The FYS's are

connected to each other as

parts of a larger FYS Program.

All seminars are designed to

introduce students to the

academic standards of college-

level work and the University's

undergraduate student learning

outcomes. The FYS's emphasize

critical thinking, communication,

community building, and the

application of learning. They also

provide students with the

opportunity to engage in at least

three co-curricular activities.

The FYS Program has a

strong, skilled, and dedicated

faculty. These faculty members are

part of a team of instructors who

are coordinated at the university-

level and work with each other to

plan, design, teach, and assess the

FYS Program. These instructors,

drawn from all over campus, are

pedagogically excellent,

experienced, and interested in

undergraduate education at K-

State. They are among the best

instructors at the university.

With their small size and

community-focus, the First- Year

Seminars (FYS) invite and

encourage an active learning

environment. The seminars devote

significant portions of class time to

hands-on learning, group

discussions, problem solving,

inquiry-based learning, and

activities that provide students with

opportunities to develop their

critical thinking and communication

skills.

For more information email:

kstatefirst@k-state.edu

Multicultural Retention College of Arts and Sciences

D I V E R S E S U C C E S S

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST

FIRST YEAR SUCCESS PROGRAMS •KSTATE BOOK NETWORK •LEADERSHIP STUDIES

KENNI FITZPATRICK & INTERNATIONAL SERVICE TEAMS

My name is Kenni Fitzpatrick and I

was blessed enough to be chosen

as a member of the International

Service Teams this summer,

2011. My major is Social Work

and I am very passionate about

helping others. I love diversity and

working in difficult settings. I love

making a difference and being

able to leave someone happier. I

know there are much harder con-

ditions people live in other coun-

tries and see the urgent need for

people to get out of their comfort

zone and go out there and help

people, wherever and however. It

is very important for me to be

aware and to be informed of the

hardship in this world, but it is

even more important to take ac-

tion and always speak up.

International Service

Teams are interdisciplinary teams

of Kansas State University stu-

dents who serve in communities

around the world during the sum-

mer break. International Service

Teams students work with interna-

tional partners to plan and imple-

ment service projects during and eight to ten week stay in country. Over the past 21 years, Interna-

tional Service Teams have served in communities worldwide through the development of service initia-

tives based on specific community needs including projects focused on health, education, environ-

mental concerns and other developmental issues. Service team members gain leadership experience

and develop an appreciation for unique cultures and perspectives during their spring semester and

summer of service. I was selected to go this summer to Brazil where I will serve abused, neglected,

orphaned, and abandoned children of the small city of Jacunda.

The primary campus is located on eight acres in Jacunda, a city of about 70,000. There is a

large building with dormitories for girls and for boys, an apartment for house parents, and a kitchen,

lounging area, and dining area. Other buildings include a medical clinic (for the community), class-

rooms, offices, library, and a prayer chapel. The children attend public school and worship in local con-

gregations, primarily (but not exclusively) Roman Catholic. Older children who have been at PRAY for

an extended time have the opportunity to move to the "Teen House" in Tocantinopolis, where they have

better educational and employment opportunities.

I will be running the Eisenhower Marathon to raise money for the mission trip, flight tickets,

vaccines, housing, and other expenses in town like transportation. The race will take place in Abilene

(an hour away from Manhattan) on Saturday, April 9th, at 7am. I am estimating to be done with the

race in less than five hours. I need as much help as I can get from anyone who is willing to help. I want

to be able to make a difference in the community of Jacunda and in the children. I want to be able to

serve, be of any help they might need and practice compassion. I believe everyone needs to feel loved.

KENNI FITZPATRICK

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE TEAMS

K-State Book Network

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers is an amazing true story about the lead up to and aftermath of Hurricane

Katrina and one man's attempt to help others amidst the terrifying and bizarre events that followed the

disaster.

A Syrian immigrant, Zeitoun is pursuing the American dream of building his own business and living

with his family in one of our country's most unique cities. Deciding to stay in New Orleans during the

storm to secure his many job sites while his family evacuates, he gets caught up in the drama, confu-

sion, and events that surround Katrina. After the storm passes and the flooding begins, Zeitoun surveys

the devastation from his canoe, helping everyone he can along the way. These charitable efforts come

to an abrupt halt, however, when he is arrested and swiftly swept into a nightmarish, makeshift deten-

tion center.

In vivid and compelling prose, Zeitoun raises numerous important social issues, from the problems and

possibilities of the American Dream to the need for interfaith dialogue and understanding.

http://www.k-state.edu/ksbn/

GUIDE TO PERSONAL SUCCESS

The Guide to Personal Success (GPS) program provides K-State students the

chance to connect with more resources and opportunities for success. This pro-

gram helps first-year students successfully navigate their transition to K-State

and make the most of their experience.

Students will be matched with a GPS guide. Guides are faculty, staff, graduate

students, and K-State alums in the Manhattan area who have knowledge of uni-

versity resources and an interest in helping students, especially during their tran-

sition to campus. GPS guides are separate from your academic advisor.

All incoming, first-year students are eligible to participate.

For more information visit:

http://www.k-state.edu/gps/index.htm

KSTATE FIRST

A great college experience starts with a great first year.

K-State First is an integrated effort to create an outstanding

university experience for every first-year student at Kansas

State University. The program provides new students with a

transition to college-level learning and college life in four im-

portant ways:

By fostering campus community and feelings of belong-

ing

By offering opportunities for diverse activities and inter-

actions

By raising academic expectations with engagement and

compassion

By empowering students with a strong sense of personal

responsibility and social agency

Bringing together exciting small classes taught by excep-

tional faculty with a vibrant student life experience, K-State

First helps students establish the foundation for a successful

college career.

http://www.postsecret.com/

School

Of

Leadership

Studies

The leadership studies program began in 1997 with just 13 students. Now with more than 1,000 stu-

dents enrolled in the minor, we finally have a home that can grow and change with leadership studies. In

January 2010, we moved into our new building, which will be the first LEED, or Leadership in Energy and

Environmental Design, certified building at K-State. Our building has 40 percent water reduction and 28

percent increased energy savings over standards on heating and cooling. The state-of-the-art building is

designed to maximize sustainability and efficiency—a growing necessity in the effort to become more envi-

ronmentally conscious. We listened to our students to bring them a comfortable atmosphere where they

can collaborate both in and outside of classes. With conference-style rooms and plenty of natural light,

the School of Leadership Studies building is like no other learning facility on campus

Join us in the Wimba classroom on March 15, 2011 to hear from

Robert Gamez, our Senior Associate Director

When??? Tuesday March 15, 2011

What time??? 2:00pm-2:30pm

Purpose:

Mr. Robert Gamez the Senior Associate of Financial Aid, will provide us with tips

on how to get money for school and other college expenses.

Find out when deadlines are due for FASFA, scholarships and grants.

$$$$ MONEY $$$$

Is worrying about money

taking a toll on your grades?

$$$$ MONEY $$$$