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Volume 23, Issue 1 – Upward Bound Math Science
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at Wichita State University
Student Newsletter November 2014
WORDS FROM THE DIRECTOR KAYE MONK-MORGAN If you are reading our fall semester text, Acing the Undergrad, Your Personal Mentor, you know that the focus for November is Classroom Etiquette. Many of you know that becoming a Master Student (google the definition) takes more than simply attending school and making good grades. Becoming a Master Student requires one to be an engaged and active participant in the learning process and environment. To do so, one must learn the rule of engagement. We begin learning those rules when we enter the public school system. Walk quietly in the halls, don’t touch people, place your bottom in your seat, not on top of the desk are a few of the most notable rules.
My friend and colleague, Rebecca Dukstein from the University of Kansas Educational Talent Search Program in Kansas City, often talks to students about one particular segment of classroom etiquette, that of engaging in a lecture. Ms. Dukstein is often overheard asking students to S.L.A.N.T. When students S.L.A.N.T. they are better able to engage in the learning process as well and demonstrate to the teacher their participation. Posture makes a difference. Affirming the speaker during their presentation also makes a difference. When listeners are engaged, the presenter (teacher) feels good about the lecture. When teachers feel good, students get better grades. Yours in service,
Inside this Issue Curriculum Coordinator’s Corner
Seniors – Class of 2015 ACT & SAT Information
Important Dates NOVEMBER 1st
WSU-RSC, Room 265
11th
EMAIL ubms@wichita.edu TWITTER @WSUUBMS FACEBOOK PAGE Upward Bound Math Science - UBMS
Community Service ReStore – 601 N. West Habitat for Humanity
13th
~ Mama Morgan
Well in high school the rules get more sophisticated. But the penalty for not knowing the rules is also greater. Dress codes, use of personal devices, eating in class… all etiquette issues. If you don’t believe this to be a topic of discourse, I invite you to google “classroom etiquette.” There are literally hundreds of resources available on-line and a large number of them are for college students. So what does that indicate… the problem isn’t one just for high school students. All students could stand a reminder of what good classroom etiquette looks like.
POPS
Community Service Child Start Breakfast for Dinner
20th
AST Visit to Hutchinson
22nd POPS WSU-RSC, Room 265
2627
Thanksgiving Holiday
POPS = Preparing Ourselves for Purpose AST = Academic Strength Training
Check Facebook for Invites
Response Required
GOOGLE+ Wichita State UBMS Program PHONE 316-978-3316
TRIO Upward Bound Math Science
Curriculum Coordinator’s Corner by Karen Rogers
“Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you — not because they are nice, but because you are.” ~Author Unknown
Classroom Etiquette It has been said that, “Being polite and courteous is the key that opens doors.” In most cases, this is quite true and will lead to many opportunities beyond your imagination. Treating people with respect, giving them a chance, creating the impression that you are a polite person that is ready to work and cooperate are great ways to start a semester, but even better to continue with throughout college, and beyond. Your attitude in and out of the classroom drives your behavior. If you want to succeed at anything, you need to have the right mindset and work hard at achieving your goals. Sometimes teachers get frustrated with students in class for their lack of preparation, respect and classroom etiquette. And likewise, students demonstrate their frustration with teachers because of their apparent misunderstandings, unfairness and an equal lack of respect. Practicing the proper classroom etiquette will tend to avoid this calamity. Do not carry on side conversations in class – this implies that you are not paying attention. Arrive to class on time – late arrivals will create a disruption. Turn off cell phones and other electronic devices – this prevents you from being easily distracted. Do not argue with a teacher in class – be willing to accept that reasonable people can disagree. School is a time of learning. Find a time to calmly express your concerns and move on. Abide by classroom policies, procedures and teaching styles – homework assignments are due when the teachers say they are due! Come to class prepared (and ready to learn ‘something’) – bring necessary items to class, stay alert and ask questions that will assist your learning style. Manners really do matter – extend courtesy and respect to your teachers, and they will treat you kindly in return. Good manners are
WICHITA STAR NOVEMBER 2014
at Wichita State University
also needed in life because it will “grease the wheels of social interactions and professional relationships.”
SENIOR SECTION 2014-2015
Garden City Community College (Silda and Dursitu)
Shawnee Mission East High School (Andie, Nikki and Tori)
Wichita State University (Cody, Vanessa, Jessica, Jacob, Fermina, Anthony, Charles, Theodora and Brianna)
A N N O U N C E M E N T S Senior Updates All applications for admission should have been submitted by October 31 in order to meet the November 1 priority dates. If your applications have not been submitted please get them in. All seniors should have had meetings with Mrs. Morgan by now. If you haven’t, please get on her calendar ASAP.
UBMS Senior Scholarship Search Now that you are admitted it is time to work on your scholarship searches. Every senior should be applying for at least one scholarship a week. If you require help with your applications, please see a UBMS staff member.
ACT PREP ASSIGNMENTS November: Mathematics, pages 221-313
ACT Dates and Waivers All seniors will retest on December 13, 2014. Please contact the UBMS office with questions about your registration, especially if you haven’t received an email confirming your registration. Students should be working through the Victory in the Valley and Big Book of Skills books as noted in last month’s newsletter. English is usually the area with the lowest scores and the greatest need for work.
UBMS Intent to Continue Form If you plan to continue your participation in UBMS, either for the academic year, summer or both, complete the form enclosed and return it to the UBMS office. This form will also be available via the UBMS website.
UBMS Probation UBMS participation is a privilege. Almost 40 students were denied participation this year because of limited spaces. If you are not a regular participant, this indicates that you are no longer interested in our services and we are duty bound to release you so that another student can be served. Students with little to no participation on record will be moved to an inactive status.
UBMS Student Congratulations If you have accomplishments that you would like to share, send them to us via email for inclusion in our monthly newsletter.
Remember, raising your score 2-3 points can be as easy as getting 3-4 more questions correct on any particular section.
T UBMS summer 2014 in Wichita, KS
NOVEMBER
SAT Dates and Waivers All UBMS seniors will take the SAT on th November 8 . The following provides guidance on when and where to meet for testing. You are ready… GO SHOW THEM WHAT YOU KNOW!
Nikki Allums, November 5
SAT test takers should report to the following:
Ron Lam, November 23
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Jessica Griffin, November 8
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Shylee Johnson, November 8
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Robert Kindred, November 14 rd
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COLLEGE & CAREERS Scholarships Check with the financial aid office or the website at your college of interest for campusbased scholarships. Most include links to additional scholarship opportunities. Use your resources and let your fingers do the walking. Fastweb – www.fastweb.com Scholarships – www.scholarships.com
Top 5 College Majors – Best Pay, Best Chance of Employment How can you be sure you’re choosing a college major that will not only pay well, but give you a good chance of actually getting hired? Take a look at the following list of the top five best college majors, taking both aspects into consideration. 1. Engineering. Specifically Petroleum Engineering, according to the Shreve Port Times. Any engineering degree will offer you a great starting salary with a good chance of employment, but Petroleum Engineering pays best of all with the average starting pay of $89,000 and a mid-career salary of $159,900. This may be a highly specialized discipline, but other engineering majors will offer similar rewards. Business Insider released a chart of the best college majors to choose if you want to get employed, taking data from a survey issued by a U.S. Staffing company called Express Employment Professionals. They ranked a general engineering degree second on the list of most employable college majors– that, added with the high starting salary, makes engineering the best choice for college majors. 2. Computer Science. Computer Science majors start with an average salary of $53,800. This college major focuses on the communication between computers and the humans who use them, which ranges from software publishing to research work to computer system development. And Express Employment Professionals ranked this college major fifth on the list of most employable degrees. 3. Nursing. The field of nursing is always in demand and starting salaries average at $53,300. While a college major in Accounting could find you a job even easier, nursing majors are ranked higher in pay. Nursing majors can find jobs all over the country in a variety of fields, such as neonatal, surgery, and geriatric care. College majors related to health
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professionals and related clinical sciences also ranked high on the employability list.
time to make it less stressful. Here are a few tips that I used while I was in school:
4. Mathematics. This college major may come as a surprise, but it did appear on both lists. The pay is decent and the demand for mathematicians or graduates with a major in statistics is very high. The field involves analyzing numbers, detecting problems, predicting trends, and finding solutions. Easy work for anyone who excelled at a major in math. Starting salaries average at $48,900.
Create a ‘To Do’ list. A ‘To Do’ list helps you budget how much time you need for each activity and helps you remember all the tasks you need to complete. Your ‘To Do’ list could be on your computer, phone, or a piece paper. A good tip is to update your list after each class and record the due date next to each task.
5. Science. Especially physics. The world is always in need of new scientific minds, and the field of physics could get you a starting salary of $50,800. A college major in science could get a job for NASA, the Department of Defense, or even a private science firm. There were some places where the college majors diverged in terms of pay and chance of employment. For example, a major in business is in extremely high demand, but it appeared nowhere on the list of best-paying college majors. Inversely, a college major in Information Systems could make you a lot of money, but it might be hard to find a job. What college major do you think sounds best? Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1542590/top-5college-majors-best-pay-best-chance-ofemployment/#myEcf6GgvYq7XYWK.99
ON CAMPUS at Wichita State University WSU Diversity Leadership Symposium – Wichita State University welcomes students from diverse backgrounds to a day full of fun where they will have the opportunity to get a glimpse into the life of a Shocker. Learn about our degrees, opportunities and resources and hear from current WSU students! Information on campus life, student organizations and scholarships will also be provided. Free to Attend, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 13, 2014, Rhatigan Student Center (RSC) If you have questions about this event, please call the Office of Admissions at (316) 978-3085. http://webs.wichita.edu/?u=admissionsforms&p =/A_RSVP_Index/
UBMS COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTORS TIME MANAGEMENT Danielle Golon, KU Talent Search Program Assistant & Advisor High School can be overwhelming: balancing school, practice, work, family and friends. However, there are many ways to balance your
Set a schedule. A schedule helps manage your time. Here are some schedule tips for a student: Wake up at the same time each day. Work on assignments during your study period. Spend your first hour after school doing something fun. After dinner, spend the next two hours studying. Do something relaxing before bed. Go to bed at the same time each night. Keep in mind that some recommend doing homework right after school while what you learned is fresh on your mind. Remember, your job is to be a student. It is okay to limit extracurricular activities and after school jobs if they require too much time Know what type of studying atmosphere helps you focus. Some prefer a quiet library, while others like a noisy coffee shop. Figure out what type of atmosphere helps you be the most productive. Designating a specific place to be your study zone helps you quickly enter study mode. As part of my study atmosphere I created a 45 minute playlist where I studied while listening to the whole playlist. Turn off bad distractions. The biggest distractions can be found on your phone. When it is time to focus, silence your phone or leave it in a different room. This will limit the time spent on your phone allowing you to focus on your tasks. A computer can be great for studying; however, it can also be a major distraction. Google Chrome offers a free add-on called “Stay Focused” which allows you to block specific websites for a set amount of time so you can focus on your work. Hopefully these tips will help you manage the time in your day. Sources: Google Chrome – StayFocusd https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stayfocus d/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji?hl=en Bigfuture: The College Board: 8 Ways to Take Control of Your Time
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WICHITA STAR NOVEMBER 2014
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Wichita Star is a monthly publication of the TRIO Upward Bound Math Science Center at Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and a College Access Challenge Grant from the Kansas Board of Regents. TRIO Upward Bound Math Science is hosted by Wichita State University. The Center has been fully funded since 1992. Wichita State University is committed to providing comprehensive educational opportunities in an urban setting. Through teaching, scholarship and public service the University seeks to equip both students and the larger community with the educational and cultural tools they need to thrive in a complex world, and to achieve both individual responsibility in their own lives and effective citizenship in the local, national and global community. Wichita State University does not discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, and political affiliation, status as a veteran or disability. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies: Director, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity. Copyright © 2014 WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY & TRIO UPWARD BOUND MATH SCIENCE - All rights reserved.