ACS aims to expand transition of minority students to four-year colleges

ORLANDO, Fla., April 8 -- The number of minorities in the chemical sciences who successfully transition from two-year to four-year institutions is the focus of the Committee on Minority Affairs' symposium on Monday, April 8, at the 223rd national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Orlando. The plenary session features three speakers and two panels and will present a series of "best practices" from two-year college faculty, participation by students who have made the transition, a discussion of successful transfer programs and other institutional activities that address issues of recruitment and retention. This is an ACS Presidential event.

WHAT:
"Making The Transition From Two-Year to Four-Year Colleges: Successful Minority Recruitment/Retention Strategies"

WHEN:
Monday, April 8, 8:30 --11:30 a.m.

WHERE:
Peabody Hotel, Florida Ballroom II, Orlando

WHO:
Plenary I:
Honorable Jesse Jones (Speaker)Texas State House of Representatives, Austin

Panel I:
Institutional Activities that recruit/retain minority students and facilitate transfers
Clarita Bhat, Shoreline Community College, Washington state
Onofrio Gaglion, New York City Technical College (Retired), Brooklyn
Linette Watkins, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos

Plenary II:
Irene Eckstrand, Ph.D. (Speaker)
Bridges to the Future Program Director
Division of Minority Opportunities in Research National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.

Panel II:
Best Practices: Perspectives from current and former students
Sibrina Collins, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, D.C.
Angelica Acevedo, University of Central Florida, Orlando
Tania Betancourt, Texas A&M University, College Station
Donzel Johnson, University of Pittsburgh

Plenary III:
Jonathan Earle (Speaker)
University of Florida, Gainesville

Immediately following the plenary, Dr. Mae Jemison, former astronaut and the first black woman to travel into space, will speak at the Committee on Minority Affairs luncheon in Florida Ballroom I of the Peabody Hotel. News media asking to attend Dr. Jemison's speech must contact the press office at 407-685-8070.