College Bound event a success

Fort Worth, TX

5/3/2010

By: Megan McGuire, TCU Office of Communications

More than 450 sixth grade students from Tannahill Intermediate School had the opportunity to see college life first-hand when they visited TCU during College Bound, an annual event hosted by the College of Education’s Center for Urban Education, on April 16.

“The purpose of the event was to give children, many of whom are potential first-generation college students, an overview of what college life is,” said Dr. Cecilia Silva, education professor in TCU’s College of Education and Center for Urban Education. “We stress academic, athletic and other areas of campus life to give them an overall perspective.”

In groups of 15 and with the help of roughly 30 TCU student volunteers, the Tannahill students took a tour of campus to gain a better understanding of student life at TCU. Stops included the TCU ROTC program, campus radio station KTCU, the Oscar E. Monnig Meteorite Gallery and various academic departments.

The “College Bound” curriculum communicates the benefits of college and emphasizes the fact that college can be accessible to many individuals.

“I think the day was successful at giving the sixth graders an overview of college life and getting them excited about going to college,” said Jim Douglas, a graduate assistant in the College of Education who helped coordinate the event.

The College Bound project is an ongoing collaboration with White Settlement ISD. The early childhood students from the College of Education meet at Tannahill for the first two weeks of the semester for seminars prior to beginning their student teaching. One of the major activities the university students do is visit each sixth grade classroom to discuss college life and to answer any questions the students have about college. The tour of TCU is a follow-up for the sixth grade students to see college life first-hand.

For more information of the Center for Urban Education, visit www.coe.tcu.edu.