FALL 2008 - UW-Milwaukee

of programs and servicesAcademic Opportunity CenterBy Alicia HaywoodIn the midst of frequent references towhat’s gone wrong with education, locallyand nationally, UWM’s AcademicOpportunity Center (AOC) may just turnout to be a shining example of what’s goingright. AOC is driven by an extraordinaryteam of diverse academic advisors who areinvested in the mission of transformingunderachieving students into successfulcollege graduates. AOC is designed toconnect these students with the resourcesthey need to confidently navigate the universityexperience. Supporting an average of1,250 students a year, AOC’s 40th anniversarywas ushered in by a banner year with 614 newfreshmen enrolling in the program last fall.For Senior Advisors Jimmy Johnstoneand Kathy Barnes who have been with theprogram since 1970 and 1978 respectively,it’s simply about valuing the students aspeople, believing in them, and acting as theiradvocates. Johnstone explains, “The kids areour greatest resource and when they don’thave the opportunities, you’re just settingthem up for continual exploitation anddomination.” Staying aware of what’s goingon with their advisees goes well beyond thestandard workday. Evenings and weekends— even Super Bowl Sunday — are all fairgame. Barnes says that it’s a matter ofadhering to an early warning system, andmaintaining frequent contact with studentsand their professors. “We’re not spying onthem, we just want to make sure thateverything is going smoothly,” she says.According to April Holland, AOC’s interimassistant director for instruction, “It’s theconcept of community…a family within afamily.”There’s no denying that certain aspectsof the program have evolved over the years.The late Ernest Spaights created it as theExperimental Program in Higher Educationto “attract, admit, and retain minority anddisadvantaged students.” At the time, it was ahopeful antidote to economic conditionsrendering college inaccessible for manyAfrican Americans. Through incarnations asLeft to right: April Holland, interim assistant director for instruction; KathyBarnes, senior advisor; and Ruth Russell, program director.the Department of Educational Opportunityand then Department of Learning Skills andEducational Opportunity, AOC has emergedas a special support program for far fewerstudents of color than in the past.Program Director Ruth Russell cites manyreasons for the demographic shift in thestudent population served by AOC. Highschool graduation requirements have becomemisaligned with those for college admission.That fact combined with pervasive economicstrains breeds situations that leave studentsacross the board ill-equipped to handleuniversity-level demands. “We, as a country,are not as competitive as we used to be andno one individual or institution can beblamed; it’s a societal problem,” says Russell.“We have a larger group of students in oururban setting who are underprepared forcollege and for life,” she adds.continued on next pageIt’s the conceptof community…a family withina family.– April HollandFall 2008/Myriad 3