1. URI STUDENT BRIDGE
Nicole Aragi

2. Background
Growing up, I was part of a very competitive high school class. It was fairly widely understood that I would go to college. I had a supportive family, friends who were looking at schools long before me and a high school staff who not only prompted us to seek higher education but who made the process very easy. However, I know that not every high school student knows they are going to go to college and is as lucky as I was to have not only motivational but also financial backing. As a senior in college, I have realized how important higher education is in my own life and wanted to share this opportunity with those who may not have had it originally. It was not my intention to push any decisions or opinions on anyone, but to simply inform a group of younger people the opportunities available to them through higher education.

3. What is URI Student Bridge?
To complete my goal of informing younger students of the opportunities of higher education I decided to hold a program with two major components:
College Seminar (URI student and staff info session)
Student Shadow (Allow the high school student to attend a college course with a college student similar to themselves)

4. Volunteers (15 total)
I wanted volunteers with a diverse background who could bring a variety of characteristics to the experience (gender, race, involvement, major)
Obviously, the volunteers I ended up with were involved heavily on campus and luckily were from a variety of majors
I obtained my volunteers by:
Visiting the MTI tutor seminars
Announcing the program at a Student Alumni Association meeting
ing the tour guide list serv

5. Word of mouth
While searching for my volunteers, I worked closely with Meghan Austin, student coordinator of MTI. She was able to give me contact information for several high schools as well as Exeter Job Corps.
Exeter Job Corps expressed incredible interest in exposing their students to college opportunities and I quickly focused the program on these students.
Had a very strong interest and a large student poplulation to be exposed to the college opportunities

6. Volunteer Forms Want to Make A Difference? “URI Student Bridge”
Deciding whether or not to go to college is one of life’s biggest decisions, and knowing fully what to expect can help a young person make a well-educated choice. You have the opportunity to make a difference in a young person’s future on Wed. Nov. 7 and Wed. Nov Exeter Job Corps students will be visiting the campus on these days and will participate in a one-hour workshop on college life. Afterwards, I am looking for a group of college students who would allow a student to accompany them to class to see what college classes are like. Could you be that student?
What do you get out of it?
Good resume builder and experience working with different age groups
Great practice for tour guides, leadership minors, education majors, etc.
Meet other people your age with similar interests
You could be the reason a young person chooses to go to college!
What I need from you (Time requirements):
One evening meeting on Oct. 24 to discuss the program expectation
Have a student shadow your Wedns 2 o’clock class on Nov.7 and Nov. 14
(Optional) One hour each date to participate in workshop with the students

7. Volunteer Forms cont. Name*: Class year: Major*: E-mail address*:
Phone number:
Do you have a class on Wednesdays at 2?
(A student would be shadowing you to this class)
Do you have a free hour between 1 and 2 on Wednesdays?
Would you be willing to be a member of a panel to field questions about college life?
I am also looking for student speakers on the following topics, please circle if you are interested:
Athletics / intramural sports
Organizations / activities
Dorm and campus life

8. It was necessary to make sure that we were addressing issues that really concerned the students and matched them with partners who shared similar interests. There was no better way to do this than to directly ask the students…

9. The Form On Wednesday November 7 and/or Wednesday November 14,
you will be visiting the University of Rhode Island campus to
learn more about college life. You will watch several presentations
about different aspects of college life and will have the
opportunity to ask about any concerns you might have. You will
also have the opportunity to attend a college class with a college
student who shares your interests. Please fill out the following
information so that we may ensure that you get the most out
of this program.
Name:
Age:
Possible major/ career interests:
What is the one thing that would stop you from going to
college? (May circle more than one)
Finances Scheduling Lack of interest/ What to study
If you chose other – please write your biggest concern:
Please write down one or two questions that you would like
answered by the program:
The Form

10. Job Corps Student Concerns

11. How I addressed the biggest concerns:
Finances: Victor Gaspar
From enrollment services
Spoke about scholarships, grants, loans and financial aid
Scheduling: Natalie Nascimento
Natalie attended URI Providence and is now a student in Kingston and works for URI’s CCE
She discussed the opportunity of night classes and other campuses

12. Reflection 10/4
I just had a borderline freak-out. I had originally planned to hold the program as a one-time only session, but after meeting with Michael Stiggle from Job Corps last week, my plans quickly changed. He wants to hold at least two sessions so that he may open it to all of his students. At first, I worried it might be too much but realized I could use the same 20 or so volunteers. I was happy to have him on board and quickly booked the rooms for Monday Nov. 12 and Wednesday Nov. 14. However, as I sat down today to put the dates into my planner, I realized that Monday classes were cancelled on the 12th for Veteran's Day. I called Michael and offered the possibility of changing the date to that Friday. However, Michael said Friday might not be possible so we planned for the Wednesday before. I agreed, because without the students there is no project and prayed that a room would be open. Luckily, I was able to book a room with the Union. However, this now gives me one less week to gather my volunteers, get my speakers in order, and to basically plan the entire event. I plan to spend the entire day tomorrow finalizing my volunteer applications and planning when I will go to different meetings to distribute them. I am nervous, however, that I am not on a more constrained time schedule and that I won't be able to gather enough interest in the program.

13. Major Challenges Working with a wide variety of personalities
Being the sole person responsible for everything.
I have planned events before but have had a committee to which I could delegate responsibilities. It was difficult to be responsible for all volunteers, students, activities, etc.
Scheduling – working with so many people I had to make sure to coordinate multiple schedules
Working under pressure – throughout the course of the semester I experienced some unexpected curves and had to react quickly

14. For each volunteer, and for my own benefit, it was important for me to do a minute by minute schedule of the day. I provided a schedule to each volunteer so that they knew when they would be needed to speak and participate and so that I could also have the students to their classes on time. It was also helpful to have a schedule so that I could serve as time moderator and keep the speakers on track.

15. Schedule 12:45 Exeter Job Corps Students arrive
Panel volunteers arrive
Distribute written materials / note sheets
1:00 Program Seminar begins
Opening Remarks
1:05 Natalie – CCE Speaker
1:15 Victor – Enrollment Services Speaker
1:20 Kevin Colman (11/7) Jess Potvin (11/14) – Organizations / campus life student speaker
1:25 Astrid Drew – Sports/Intramurals/Campus Jobs student speaker
1:30 Anne Salafia – Campus and Dorm Life student speaker
1:35 Student Panel field questions
1:45 Icebreaker activity / partnering students
1:50 End seminar and release students to classes
3:00 Students meet in bus circle / Job Corps students depart

16. Icebreaker Activity
The icebreaker was an important part of the seminar
It allowed the students to bond quickly before they attended class together
It created topics for conversation
I chose an icebreaker that would also help to break past exterior barriers and help the students to realize that they had more in common with college students than they would have expected

18. Let Them Leave With Something
Besides leaving with a new understanding of college life, my sponsor Sharman Brown suggested having something physical for the students to take away
Each student received:
A mini notebook and pen (donated by the Student Alumni Association)
Financial Aid pamphlets (Victor Gaspar)
Brochure on URI’s Providence campus (Natalie Nascimento)
A note sheet with contact information for URI, enrollment services and CCE

19. It’s Showtime!! Sometimes even when you plan for everything, the
unexpected happens
The students were 15 minutes late despite my sending the directions days in advance
Unfortunately, the students had to make it back for a last minute memorial ceremony so the student shadow portion was eliminated from Day 1’s program.

20. Think Fast! (Day 1)
Due to the fact that the students arrived late and had to leave early, I shortened the speeches and extended the student panel so that the Job Corps students could ask the questions they had.
The panel this day was incredibly interactive and I felt that the students were able to learn the things that they were interested in.
In preparation for the next week, I immediately made a list of pros and cons of the day.
Contact Michael at Job Corps and make sure they would be on time the next week.

21. The last-minute external issues taught me to…
Think quick on my feet
Deal with multiple people to make up for lost time
Adapt a schedule to incorporate my original plans but to accommodate those involved
Realize that there are certain things beyond my control but that if I adapt to the unexpected, I can regain control of a situation

22. Reflection 11/7
Things Done Well: · Student reaction – afterwards, the students from Exeter Job Corps were very appreciative and seemed to have gotten a lot of information from the seminar · Speakers – I feel that I chose a good balance of speakers male vs. female, staff vs. student, etc. The student speakers especially surprised me with their preparation, audience comfort ability and eloquence. · Handouts – I provided the students with mini notebooks, pens and info sheets. My two staff speakers had a good amount of handouts as well which gave the students something to walk away with physically. *might want to get passbooks from admissions for next week’s students
Things to improve upon: · Timing – we were late this time which threw us off, but make sure to signal to speakers when their time is coming to an end. · Tardiness – spoke with Michael Stiggle about perhaps leaving earlier, also suggested that I meet the students at the bus circle and let him park the bus. · Leaving time for class – some of my volunteers stayed later today because we started later, but make sure to start icebreaker activity early next week to give students time to get to class

23. Showtime Day 2: 11/14 Success!!!
The Job Corps students were early to the program this day as they left earlier to arrive on time.
The students were able to shadow the URI volunteers this time and I received positive feedback from both sides.
One of my student pairs even arrived a few minutes late to the bus circle because the Job Corps student stayed after class to ask questions

24. Special Thanks
My sponsor Sharman Brown for her support and guidance and for keeping me calm
Michael Stiggle from Exeter Job Corps
Natalie Nascimento and Victor Gaspar from URI for their knowledge and time
Carolyn Hames for answering my continuous questions
Meghan Austin from MTI for her help with volunteers and support of my project

25. My volunteers (were amazing)
Astrid Drew
Anne Salafia
Kevin Colman
Jess Potvin
Ian Lubinski
Britt Manseau
Jacqueline Jeha
Jenny Burkhardt
Haileigh Lipnick
Sarah Pritchard
Sarah Hayden
Greg Owens
Cassie Feeney
Lea Goto