UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 27, Page 3
April 11, 1996
Futures students to visit campus

     On April 16, a group of Wilmington high school students
affiliated with the Delaware Futures program will visit the UD campus.
     Delaware Futures, which is concerned with the educational futures
of students in the city of Wilmington, targets students who have
potential and are nominated by their schools but who are unlikely to
attend college without a structured support program and financial
assistance.
     Each year 12 eighth grade students are selected, and by the fall
of 1997, it is anticipated that 48 students will be involved at
different levels in the program.
     After students are accepted into the program, they participate
with the entire group in a week-long initiation to define the
underlying principles of team effort and self-motivation.
     Throughout the year, the students are tutored, receive counseling
and advice about college and career-related topics, meet weekly in a
peer support group and are matched with a trained mentor. Family
counseling also is available.
     Several students from the University are volunteer tutors in the
program, including members of Delta Sigma Theta sorority and Omega Psi
Phi fraternity and African Americans from the freshman class.
     Other components of Delaware Futures are summer wilderness trips,
internships and community service projects.
     While in high school, students tour affiliated colleges and make
occasional visits to campus events to get a taste of college life and
to decide which schools best meet their needs.
     The University of Delaware is one of seven participating colleges
and universities committed to providing full tuition scholarships to
Delaware Futures graduates. Other schools are Cheyney University of
Pennsylvania, Delaware State University, Delaware Technical &
Community College, Goldey Beacom College, Wesley College and
Wilmington College. Swarthmore and Haverford colleges have a limited
partnership.
     Ronald Whittington, director of affirmative action at the
University, serves on the organization's board.
     The program, which began in 1993, is affiliated with Trinity
Parish in Wilmington while seeking non-profit organization status.