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EOF Newsletter

(Educational Opportunity Fund)
429 Cooper Street, EOF Building
Camden, NJ 08102-1521
609-225-6107, 609-225-6139 Fax

Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey

September 1998

Message from the Director:

Dr. Lambert Blunt Jackson

Welcome back to a new year and new challenges.  For quite some time we have discussed putting together a newsletter that would keep our students, the friends of EOF, and our colleagues informed of what we are doing as an EOF community.  This is our first issue, and we plan on it being the first of many

For those of you who don't know us well, we have been an active presence on this campus for thirty years.  Our raison d'être arose out of the turbulence of the 60s and the demand for justice and opportunity from various segments of society who had been denied access to higher education for social and economic reasons. Although the turbulence has died down, the social and economic justifications for the Program still exist, and we join with the College and the University in providing access and support to students who have great intellectual potential but have not had the advantages of many "traditional" students.

Over the years we have graduated hundreds of students who have gone on to professional careers within the Rutgers community, the Camden community, and in the New Jersey and beyond.  Many have graduate degrees, and professional certifications and licenses. We are proud of our students and their accomplishments, and we are constantly developing our programming to make it more effective and to increase our retention and graduation rates.  I want to take this opportunity to tank all the faculty and staff to Rutgers- Camden for their support of what we are doing and of our studentts as they prepare for their future careers.

I join with my staff in wishing you all a good year ahead.

EOF ~ MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR OVER 25 YEARS

EOF STAFF

Welcome to the Class of 2002!!

The faculty, administration, and staff are pleased to welcome th EOF freshmen class. This group of 50 students represents approximately 14% of the newly enrolled class of 2002.  They have recently completed a rigorous academic summer program and are launching into their first full semester at Rutgers.  We wish them success in their years with us and in the years ahead.

Vincent F. Basara	Yongxia (Lisa) Lei
Jason M. Belfiore	Kim N. Luu
Pierre A. Cadas	Abner Macellus
Alicia Cafaro	Alexann C. Masiko
Nga N. Cao	Melanie R. McIntosh
Jessica Cintron	Jennifer L. Merkel
Saleena L. Coney	Erica D. Miller
Daryl Daniels	Michael Moustakas
Arthur M. Davis	Rachael Olorunnisola
Tikeisha S. Davis	Maria T. Pagan
Ajay M. Davis	Kiran A. Patel
Jessica L. Diaz	Giang T. Pham
Nicholas L.Dipillo	Ngoc B. Pham
Pisey Duong	Marie C. Popotte
Twyla Faulk	Josue Rivera
Yolaika Gonzalez	Lismaris Rivera
Samuel Gutierrez	Tawana L. Roane
Hoa T. Ho	LeVesa Scott
Amanda R. Holloway	Marie Sanchez
Danny W. Hoyos	Katrina D. Stocker
Steven Jacob	Kevin T. Thomas
Zackary L. Jago	Barbara Torres
Lakita M. Jefferson	Hoang T. Trieu
Tzu Yun Jen	ShaneVargas
Renata D. Jones	Shir N. Waziri

Academic Success

In May 1997 the EOF Prgram graduated fifty-seven students. Twelve gone on to graduate school, two are attending Rutgers-Camden School of Law. Further, twenty-five of the 1997 graduates are currently employed in a variety of occupations, such as mursing, computer programming, social services, educatio and business. Eighteen students also made the Dean's List.

We had thirty eight students who graduated in May 1998.  Five have been admitted to graduate school, twenty are employed and twenty are employed and twenty three made the Deans List.

Our attrition rate for the last two years has been under five percent (5%), which can be directly attributed to our newly instituted Freshman Studies Program.

Congratulations to our students, our staff and the excellent faculty at Rutgers-Camden.

EOF Graduates

Ineligible For EOF, Worked With EOF Staff
Kim Clark	Candace R. Elsey
Debra Ford	Yulanda Haddix

News From EOF Students

Scott Bobbie, a 1995 graduate who majored in business, is currently employed by Ernest Young accounting firm in Philadelphia.  Scott began his academic career at Rutgers after a brief stint in the military. He is currently making plans to attend graduate scholl.  We all wish Scott the very best.

Tasha Custis enrolled in RUCCAS during the summeer of 1996.  Tasha is doing well in her major, which is business, and plans to pursue graduate work after her graduation in 2000.  She is a single parent who has managed to balance her family, school, and employment activities.  EOF salutes her accomplishments.

(Each issue will feature cameos on past and present students.  Please send in any information that you may have to spotlight what you are doing. This is of great interest to us and our readers!)

Freshman Studies Program

The Freshman Studies Program aims to increase student retention, foster student confidence, and improve academic performance while addressing the overall freshman experience.  The Program begins with the admissions process.  Sixty percent of the freshman clsass is interviewed by EOF personnel, which provides staff with an insight into the incoming class.  This insight is used for planning and implementations of the three credit bearing courses which in addition to their academic content focus on developoing analytical and critical thinking skills.

During the summer, students take the first of three college level courses offered out of the Urban Studies Department.  Students are also involved in a range of other academic initiatives such as math, writhing, science and computer science. Group counseling sessions also play a vital role in initiating students into campus life.

Studnets must register for another credit course during the fall semester, History of the Ghetto and American Slums, taught by Dr. Jackson, EOF Director.  The spring course alos taught by Dr. Jackson revloves around the conrtoversial subject "Race, Ethnicty and Racism."  Each of these courses has a recitation attached, taught by Ms. Walters and Mr. Butler.  Preliminary data have shown that we are on the corrext path to success, i.e., graduation.

Finally, a program is in the development stage to increase the number of undergraduate students who will attend graduate and professional schools.

Pre-College Program:  PACE

(Parent Adolescent Collaboration for Education)

The EOF Program has been developing and administering three pre-college progerams over the last eight years.

The principal objectives of these programs are to provide rising eight grade students with a scientific learning experiece and to provide a follow-up summer for rising ninth grade students who either participated in PACE I the year before or who wish to enter without the prior expericence in order to increase interest and promote the acquisition of skills necessary to be successful in the sciences and to continuing and furthering their education.  PACE III was a new additon four years ago.  The focus of this component is to give rising tenth graders an experiece in the practical application of scentific skills.  All thress projects are desinged to increase parental participation and involvement in their children's education to improve the students' language arts skills as well as assist in their motivational , emotional, and social maturity.

The summer program begins with an orientation for new and returning students and their parents.  For seventh grade students the Microelectronics Summer Institute teaches studetns skills neccessary to the pursuit of scientific careers and centers around the circuiting of computers, the program also encourages critical thinking, builds self-esteem, and creates an awareness of educational and professional staff and to help them develop techniques that will aid their children academically.  For PACE II students and parents, the summer program has the same focus in term of supporting motivational, emotional, and social grwoth,; it also stresses the importance of  language arts development (the ending result being the production of a play at the closing ceremonies).  The scientific component builds on what was learned during PACE I and focuses on the multiple uses of computers with an emphasis on the solution of scientific problems.

Both PACE I and PACE II have after shcool and evening academic-year activeites that involves university staff (and some professional consultancts) who provide follow-up programming to that offered during the summer to both studnets and parents.  Except for some nominal consutant fees for outsid participants, academic year personnel services are donated on an as-need basis.

The third phase of our Parent Adolescent Collaboration for Education had been funded by Bell Atlantic for the past two years, and prior to that by the National Science Foundation. The first year our rising tenth graders in conjunction with Stone and Weber designed a conveniece store for Rutgers-Camden Campus Center.  The store was completed using the desin of the PACE III students.

During the second year, students along with Remington & Vernick Engineering Firm designed a park for the City of Camden.  The students also made a presentation before Camden City Council to request funds to construct the park.  Alos the students won a merit award from the New Jersey American Society of Landscape Architects for their park design.  The funding aspect of the project is still pending.

The third year undertaking involved historic preservation, which also provided students with a sense of community with the past.. Designs were created of the restoration and preservation of Yorkship Square in Fairview for the purposes of attractiong visitors, creating a sense of civic pride and facilitating the enrichment of our students.

EOF

Making a difference for OVER 25 years

New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund

For any comments, suggestions, problems, questions, etc., e-mail tep@csac.rutgers.edu
Last updated: July 9,1999.

Copyright © 1997-1999 EOF Multi-Cultural Club All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1997-1999 Christopher C. Eleazar All rights reserved.