New Leaf ISSUE 04 Spring 2012 in this issue
Edinboro University Celebrates Na onal Non‐Tradi onal Student Recogni on Week
During the week of November 7‐11, 2011, Edinboro University celebrated Na onal Non‐Tradi onal Student Recogni on Week. Events included a career development workshop for adult students, CLEP and life experience presenta ons and an essay contest. The contest asked adult students to discuss why they chose Edinboro and why they chose to seek higher educa on at this point in their lives. The winner of the essay contest was Thasia Frazzini—an adult student majoring in Human Services. Her winning essay is below.
Why Edinboro, Why Now? By Thasia Frazzini Having survived 17 years of extreme domes c violence, I went through counseling, and then became a counselor in that area of exper se. I volunteered for SafeNet (formerly known as Hospitality House) in their educa on department. I took the hindsight that my experience le me, and created a Domes c Violence Preven on Program that I taught in the City of Erie School District for over eight years. The fact that I had no degree kept me from earning any income from this great program. At that me, my daily work was as a cleaning professional for Merry Maids. In 2008, I was injured at work and my whole life was forever changed in a few seconds. I fell and hit my head on a cement step coming out of a home into snowy condi ons. I have had years of physical therapy and treatments. I will never be able to do physical
labor again. That forced me to reflect about what I would do to provide for myself for the rest of my life. I have wanted for some me to go back to school and receive a degree in social work. This would enable me to get back to educa ng and preven ng the scourge of domes c violence from society. I know that this program works because many mes over the years young women have approached me to ask if I was the woman who came to their school. They would share with me how they had helped someone with my list of warning signs. I just received a request from a local doctor to provide her with enough warning sign lists for each one of her exam rooms for a large prac ce. She felt that a woman le alone in an exam room, wai ng, could read those signs and reflect on her own home life. This doctor could then converse with the con nued on page 4
Why Edinboro, Why Now? P.1 Adult Student in the Spotlight P.2 Child Care, Scholarships, Facts P.3 Summer Classes P.4
Focus on Adult Student Scholarships Edinboro University has 570 permanently endowed scholarships and makes over 2,000 student awards annually. Many of these scholarships do not require a separate applica on. All students who complete the Edinboro University admissions applica on and meet the specific selec on criteria are automa cally considered as possible candidates. Among these scholarships are several specific to the adult learner. Below is a look at one such award.
Be y J. Murch Memorial Scholarship This scholarship is awarded to a non‐tradi onal student who did not enroll in college immediately a er high school and who helps achieve and sustain the diversity of the student body. The recipient must have a QPA of 3.0 and major in nursing or educa on. If the recipient is an incoming freshman, the award is renewable for a maximum of four years provided a minimum cumula ve QPA of 3.0 is maintained. Financial need and academic merit are used in determining the recipient.
Adult Student in the Spotlight Dianna Kuhar Dianna Kuhar is the spring 2012 adult student in the spotlight. Dianna began her studies at Edinboro in the fall of 2008 and will graduate in December, 2012. She is majoring in Secondary Educa on—English.
What is the most difficult thing about being an adult student? The most difficult thing about being an adult student is me management. I have learned by now that I have to have EVERYTHING planned in my schedule, but I have also learned that with a husband, kids, and just life in general, you need to be willing and able to improvise at any given moment. What is the best thing about being an adult student? The best thing about being an adult student is that you bring life experience with you . Life experience can give you a be er apprecia on for the opportunity to earn a degree and a be er understanding of what it is you want to become. Why did you decide to go back to school to earn your degree? I decided to earn my degree when my husband and I adopted a family of four children. I had been an insurance agent for almost 20 years, and I was ge ng burned out si ng behind a desk. We knew our lives were about to change in ways that we could never imagine and figured why not go all out and make a career change as well. It has been a blessing and the best decision we have ever made. We are now the proud parents of four wonderful children who are Figh ng Scot fans! My greatest support comes from my husband, William. He takes care of the kids and house when I'm in class and never complains. He cheers me on and gives me confidence and strength when I begin to stumble. Without his support, the opportunity to earn this degree would not be possible. (He is also an Edinboro graduate.) Why did you choose Edinboro? I chose Edinboro for my degree first and foremost because of their reputa on as a great educa on school. The cost of a degree at Edinboro was also a benefit when compared to other local colleges and universi es. What advice do you have for other adult students? My advice for other adult students is to always sit in the front of the classroom. This may sound ridiculous but you become more engaged in the class and with the professors. You gain confidence because it forces you to be on your toes (there's no one to hide behind). You have chosen to excel by improving yourself and earning a degree, so get up front and grab what is being offered with both hands!
EUP + ELU = Learning for All Ages Adjacent to main campus, the county YMCA offers a complete early care and educa on program designed to meet the needs of both parents and children. Named the “Early Learning University” (ELU), the center is licensed by the Department of Public Welfare and is a Keystone Star 4 center, which, much like a hotel ra ng system, holds centers and staff to the highest standards. A Keystone Star 4 is the highest ra ng awarded. The well‐trained staff at ELU provide a fun, safe and educa onal se ng for your child while you a end class. The children engage in structured learning ac vi es, gross motor ac vi es and outside fun. ELU currently cares for children as young as six weeks through preschool. They are also a par cipant in Pennsylvania’s Pre‐K Counts program which helps to make early learning an affordable experience for all in the community. There have been many ques ons this semester regarding how to apply for The ELU is open Monday through Edinboro University scholarships. The simple answer is, you don’t have to! Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more informa on or to schedule Many Edinboro scholarships do not require a separate applica on. All a tour, please call (814) 734‐8020. students who complete the Edinboro University admissions applica on and meet the specific selec on criteria are automa cally considered as possible candidates. Students who meet the criteria have their names submi ed to the selec on commi ee. The commi ee selects the recipient/s as well as alternates. Many of the selected students are not required to complete addi onal informa on for the final determina on of awards, however should addi onal informa on be needed, the Financial Aid Office will contact the selected students at their Edinboro University electronic mail address. It should be noted that the selec on criteria for the awards varies significantly. The Did you know? majority of scholarships are for students Edinboro University enrolls more a ending Edinboro University on a full‐ me basis. Other factors which may impact a students who use wheelchairs than student's eligibility are: major course of any other state system school in study, quality point average, SAT scores, Pennsylvania. class rank, athle c prowess, This year, for the first me ever, recommenda ons of professors and Edinboro University has exceeded teachers, and in some cases, geographic the 500+ mark for enrolled students area.
Applying for Edinboro University Scholarships
with disabili es. Adult students make up just over 21% of our students with disabili es.
All students are encouraged to first apply for financial aid by comple ng the FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov.
New Leaf is published each fall and spring by the Office of Adult Student Services. The purpose of the newsle er is to provide informa on per nent to Edinboro University’s adult student popula on.
Our Mission: The mission of Edinboro University’s Office of Adult Student Services is to empower prospec ve and current adult learners to meet their educa onal goals through programs and services that remove barriers to their success.
Continue Your Education… in the Summer. Did you know that during the summer Edinboro offers three sessions in which you can take up to five classes? This year, the first session is from May 21 to June 7, and you can take one class during this session. The second session is from June 11 to July 12, and the third session is from July 16 to August 15. You can take up to two courses during each of the la er two sessions. If you like the format of online classes, the summer is your best opportunity to take one. Edinboro offers more undergraduate online classes in the summer than during the regular semesters. Scheduling for summer courses is offered on a first‐come, first‐ served basis and is an cipated soon (check your student e‐mail for an announcement). To schedule a summer class, use your spring 2012 alternate PIN. If you need financial aid for the summer, you must take at least six credits to qualify. In addi on, you will need to complete the summer financial aid applica on on the financial aid webpage (www.edinboro.edu, keyword “financial aid”).
New Leaf ISSUE 04 Spring 2012
Adult Student Services 405 Scotland Road 211 Pogue Student Center Edinboro, PA 16444 Phone: (814) 732‐2701 Fax: (814) 732‐2909 adultstudents@edinboro.edu h p://adult.edinboro.edu
Why Edinboro, Why Now? (con nued from page 1) woman and offer help. The reason I chose to come to Edinboro University at this stage of life is twofold. In the area of my home town (Erie, PA), there are four colleges that I could easily a end. Edinboro most certainly has the best social work program. Edinboro is also well‐known for having a good program to work with persons with disabili es. Since I live with closed head trauma disabili es, that fact was important for me. The Office of Voca onal Rehabilita on (OVR) had me tested, and my educa onal goal was deemed very obtainable with some help. I have already been fi ed with the Dragon NaturallySpeaking (a speech recogni on so ware that dictates
speech into text), and I have a new, faster, computer which helps me do be er in my studies. I am a freshman student in my first semester, and am doing fairly well. I am always excited for opportuni es to spread the word about my work. I also have an an ‐bullying program. I publish both programs under the name Let Us Be Your Beacon of Hope (Lighthouse Publishing). I am also working with a gentleman in Florida. He and his son are vic ms of domes c violence. The world assumes only women are vic mized. This man and his son are crea ng a nonprofit called Jarod's Vision in an a empt to educate the state of Florida’s educa on and judicial systems. They will be using both of my programs in their curriculum.