NEWS | April 2007 - all articles

This page includes all articles in the April issue of NEWS. Return to summary of articles.

McNair Scholars Program prepares students for graduate school
Legislators urged to fund need-based aid
Tuition increases in line with national trend
Minnesota pilots an e-mentoring program
BRIEFS

McNair Scholars Program prepares students for graduate school

College of St. Scholastica junior Brady Zubke just returned from Puerto Rico where he presented his research paper on the correlation between stress and cognitive fatigue. After meeting with a group of fellow McNair scholars, their faculty mentors and other scientists at the University of Puerto Rico-Humacao, Zubke was bursting with enthusiasm. "The experience was amazing. Presenting for the first time was one of the most challenging things I have had to do in my academic career, but it was worth it. I definitely want to come back again next year," he said.

As a McNair Scholar, Zubke is doing research and receiving guidance from a faculty research mentor. He also receives assistance preparing for the GRE exam and selecting and applying to graduate school. "It really gives you a huge advantage in finding out about graduate school and gives you opportunities you wouldn’t have otherwise," Zubke said.

The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program prepares undergraduate students — especially those who are low-income, first-generation and minority students — for doctoral studies. It aims to increase their ranks in academia and professional positions. Named for one of the fallen Challenger astronauts, McNair is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and operated by the federal TRiO Program (The Right investment Opportunity for college access, degree attainment and workforce development).

Zubke is thrilled to be able to do research with Andrine Lemieux, a neuropsychology professor at St. Scholastica. "She has so much information and has no problem explaining things, however long it takes. She makes sure I’m on the right track," he said. Zubke hopes to earn a Ph.D. and eventually work with patients with traumatic brain injury.

“This experience makes you excited about grad school and focusing on what you hope to do for the rest of your life,” he said.

Pamela Knetter

Pamela Knetter, another McNair scholar from St. Scholastica, is a biology and art major who will graduate in May. Last summer, with help from the McNair program staff, she obtained an internship at MIT, conducting research on adult stem cells in a biological engineering lab for 10 weeks. “It gave me a chance to do research at one of the top universities in the world,” she said. “I found that research isn’t the right fit for me but it gave me the experience I needed to make a decision about my field.” Knetter has been accepted to the University of Illinois at Chicago where she will pursue a master’s degree in biomedical visualization.

Minnesota students can participate in McNair programs through the College of St. Scholastica and the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities (and formerly through Augsburg College where renewed funding is pending). At St. Scholastica, 200 students have participated since 1995 — 104 are currently enrolled in graduate school (19 in doctoral programs with 3 more to begin this fall), 60 have earned a master’s degree and 4 have earned doctorates.

At the U of M, it is important to note that of the 232 students who have participated since 1992, one-third have been from private colleges. Sixty are currently enrolled in graduate school, 80 have received master’s or professional degrees and 8 have received doctorates.

"The TRiO/McNair Scholars Program is increasing the number of professors and professionals with doctorates and has a direct effect on our ability to compete globally," said Phillip Miner, director of community initiative for the Minnesota Private College Council. "No program does more to get more underrepresented students into doctorate programs."

Legislators urged to fund need-based aid

State capitol As the higher education bills progress through the Minnesota Legislature, many voices are urging legislators to target funding on need-based aid. This aid, through the State Grant Program, helps make college possible for one in four low- and moderate-income undergraduates in Minnesota. Here are some examples:

The March 18 Pioneer Press editorial, "It's time to sharpen the aim:
"Why not find a target and shoot at it? We don't have enough money to help everyone, as we might have a generation ago, when we were able to provide nearly free college tuition. Why not aim property tax relief, pre-school assistance, health care and tuition help at those who need it most — and where the greatest return on investment is likely? It's impossible to overemphasize this point: Money should arrive on a laser beam to solve specific problems, not be scattered from the sky."
An April 1 Star Tribune editorial, "To enlarge workforce, fund financial aid":
"But holding down tuition for all isn't the most cost-effective strategy for putting more disadvantaged young adults on a path toward college and keeping them there. Generous financial aid better serves that end."
Admission Possible newsletter: "From the Desk of Jim McCorkell," Winter 2007:
"There is no question that we need to provide low-income students with greater financial aid. In my estimation, access to adequate financial aid is perhaps the most important determinant in the likelihood of a low-income student staying in college and graduating."

A column in the April 1 St. Cloud Times by Randy Krebs, “State's higher education faces crisis,” adds this perspective:
"The biggest challenge for Minnesota's higher education is volume. The state needs to find a way to generate more college graduates. The fertile ground here comes in ‘first-generation’ students, or those whose families have never been to college. Demographic realities, though, mean these students also tend to be on the short end of the state's infamous academic achievement gap…."

The institutions of the Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) are raising these points with policymakers. For example, an April 17 President’s and Parent’s Day at the Capitol triggered thoughtful conversations with key legislative and administrative leaders including Sen. Larry Pogemiller, Susan Heegaard of the Office of Higher Education, Rep. Tony Sertich, Rep. Tom Rukavina, Sen. Sandy Pappas, and Matt Kramer, Gov. Pawlenty’s chief-of-staff. Public expressions of our perspective include the recent Pioneer Press column by MPCC board chair Brian Rosenberg, president of Macalester College. Other columns by MPCC President David Laird have appeared in papers as diverse as the Fergus Falls Daily Record and the Twin Cities’ Insight News. Read all advocacy news stories.

At a time when the economy will require twice as many college-educated employees as it does today, targeting and increasing spending on need-based aid that goes directly to students who need it most makes good sense. To communicate your views on need-based aid to legislators, join our Legislative Action Network.

Tuition increases in line with national trend

The Annual Survey of Standard Student Charges conducted by the Minnesota Private College Research Foundation showed that average tuition and fees for first-time, full-time, full academic year undergraduates at Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) member institutions will increase by 6.5 percent for the 2007–08 academic year. These increases are comparable to those expected at private institutions nationwide and mirror the recent increases in expenditures. Institutions have experienced rapidly rising costs in the areas of employee benefits, utilities and technology and are also investing more on expanded student financial aid.

Average tuition and fees at MPCC institutions will be $26,358, a 6.5 percent increase over last year’s average. Comprehensive charges — or the combined costs of tuition and fees plus room and board — will average $33,409 for a first-year, full-time student at MPCC institutions.

Ninety-one percent of undergraduate students receive financial assistance. When grants, work-study awards and loans are included, the average “calculated aid package” (total aid divided by the total number of recipients) for MPCC students in 2004–05 was $18,350 – 66 percent of the average comprehensive charges for that year. Grant assistance is the largest category of financial aid for private college students. Eighty-eight percent of MPCC undergraduates received grant assistance averaging $10,500 in 2004–05. MPCC member institutions provided more than $253 million in grant assistance that year.

While MPCC institutions provided 78 percent of all grant aid to their students in 2004–05, this year’s legislative session has only served to highlight the need for the state to be a central partner in ensuring adequate access to higher education for students with documented financial need.

Minnesota pilots an e-mentoring program

Three institutions of the Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) — Concordia College, Moorhead; Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter; and the University of St. Thomas, Twin Cities — are among the seven pilot sites for a new project, Minnesota MentorNet. Funded with a grant from the 3M Foundation, MentorNet pairs students in science, engineering, math and technology with professionals for one-on-one e-mail mentoring relationships.

MentorNet, founded ten years ago, serves students and professionals around the world. Although the organization has had some presence in Minnesota for a number of years, the new project will significantly increase participation. It focuses on women and students of color — groups traditionally underrepresented in scientific and technical fields. Mentors and their protégés communicate by e-mail about career and academic goals, balancing work and life, course work, and many other topics to enhance learning and encourage career interest in these fields.

Mentor Rebecca Sawchuk (on left), who works at DOW chemical company with her protégé Dana Gary, a chemical engineering major at Carnegie Mellon

"We’re very pleased to be extending MentorNet as a resource for industry and higher education more broadly across the state of Minnesota," said Alex Cirillo of the 3M Foundation (he also serves on the MPCC board). "3M Company has had six years experience with MentorNet’s one-on-one e-mentoring program. We consider it a ‘best in field’ initiative and have had hundreds of 3M scientists and engineers participate as mentors."

Minnesota MentorNet aims to significantly increase the number of protégés from Minnesota colleges and universities and the number of mentors from industry and higher education institutions. Other institutions in the pilot program are Ridgewater College, Rochester Technical and Community College, the University of Minnesota and Winona State University. After the pilot period, MentorNet will seek to partner with every accredited Minnesota institution of higher education offering degrees in science or engineering fields.

Direct questions about Minnesota MentorNet to info@mentornet.net or (408) 296-4405. More about MentorNet.

BRIEFS

UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute released the report, “The American Freshman: Forty-Year Trends 1966–2006,” highlighting changes and trends in the makeup of college freshman classes. Read Inside Higher Ed story
The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University each received $1 million matching capital grants from the Bush Foundation for endowed student scholarships and financial aid. When fully matched, these combined grants will be worth $4 million to both institutions.
Ethnic alumni from MPCC institutions toured five Twin Cities high schools April 16–20 as part of the MN Private College Tour: Where Diversity Matters. Graduates shared their life stories and encouraged students to take steps to go on to college — and to consider a Minnesota private college or university. More about the Tour
Our series of Day at the Capitol events brought nearly 450 students to St. Paul to learn about and lobby for the State Grant Program. St. Scholastica broke an attendance record, bringing the largest delegation ever with 107 participants.
MPCC is a sponsor of the April 26–29 symposium, “Diversity in Action — The Local Impact of Globalization.” The Community Initiative at MPCC was key to bringing this event to the Twin Cities, the first time it is being held outside of Washington D.C.