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Media advisory: College access mission of new Kansas State University program launching this fall in Johnson, Wyandotte counties

Wednesday, August 17, 2016 

 

OLATHE — Gen. Richard Myers, interim president of Kansas State University, will introduce a new program that will help low-income, first-generation college and underrepresented high school students from Wyandotte and Johnson counties enter and complete higher education.

Myers will be joined by Jim Hinson, Shawnee Mission School District superintendent, and Pat Bosco, vice president for student life and dean of students at Kansas State University, to discuss the Kansas State College Advising Corps program.

Media are invited to attend the event at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, in the Learning Commons at Shawnee Mission North High School, 7401 Johnson County Drive, Overland Park. Media are asked to RSVP to csplichal@k-state.edu or call 913-307-7341 by 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 22.

Supported by a grant from the Kauffman Foundation, the new Kansas State College Advising Corps program is a solution for Greater Kansas City's workforce development. It is a "best fit" college advising model that helps low-income, first-generation college and underrepresented high school students navigate the complex issues associated with selecting and entering a university of their choice.

The pilot year will serve six high schools from the Shawnee Mission School District, the Olathe School District and the Turner School District. These districts have a significant population of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch, or the districts are forecasted to have a significant ethnic and income shift. More than 10,000 students enrolled in the six partner high schools will be direct beneficiaries of this program.

The need for this program stems from a shifting workforce development landscape. According to the Mid-American Regional Council, 34 percent of adults over age 25 in the Kansas City region have at least a bachelor's degree. In the last 10 years, 40 percent of new jobs created in the Kansas City region required a bachelor's degree.

Simultaneous to this evolving workforce landscape is the changing demographics of the U.S. and Greater Kansas City. The U.S. Census Bureau projects a significant shift in demographics. By 2050, the bureau projects that black, Hispanic and Asian populations will comprise half of the U.S. population, while the number of white households is projected to decrease. Individuals in these diverse groups are often first-generation college students and unfamiliar with the application and scholarship processes needed to enter higher education.

The Kansas State College Advising Corps will be housed at K-State Olathe.

Following the 3 p.m. announcement, the following speakers and Kansas State College Advising Corps members will be available for interviews: Pat Bosco, Kansas State University vice president for student life and dean of students; Bernard Franklin, Kansas State University assistant vice president for student life and executive director of the Kansas State College Advising Corps; Meaghan Higgins, program director of the Kansas State College Advising Corps; and representatives from the Shawnee Mission, Olathe and Turner school districts.



News tip:

Greater Kansas City

Website:

Kansas State College Advising Corps

Written by

Christine Splichal
913-307-7341,
csplichal@k-state.edu

Editor's note:

Media interested in attending the introduction of the Kansas State College Advising Corps program are asked to RSVP to csplichal@k-state.edu or call 913-307-7341 by 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 22.