OLIVET, Mich. Olivet College recently received $17,000 in grants from the Michigan Colleges Foundation (MCF) to implement a college outreach partnership and minority retention program.

Bank One College Outreach Partnership Award

Bank One sponsored $10,000 for the College Outreach Partnership program grant. The program is designed to prepare students to successfully pursue a college education by allowing them to experience college life and gain a sense for the opportunities afforded through various careers.

The outreach program will engage Benton Harbor area high school students in pre-college activities throughout the 2005-06 academic year. Olivet College will host four activities beginning with a five-day summer camp experience, a mentorship program, a fall semester career exploration day and a weekend spring fling.

This is a way to assist Benton Harbor area juniors and seniors and their families as students begin preparing for college, said Norma Curtis, vice president and dean for academic affairs. The program will focus on career planning and highlight opportunities available at Olivet College.

DaimlerChrysler Minority Retention Award

Olivet also received the DaimlerChrysler Minority Retention Award for $7,000 to implement an Early Warning System program for minority students who are considered at-risk based on high school GPAs and ACT scores.

The program involves early identification of at-risk students to inform them about the support services available at the colleges Academic Resource Center. The early warning system also involves meeting with students every two weeks to review their academic progress with an academic counselor and sending progress reports to their course instructors.

Initially, about 50 students will benefit from the program, said Charlie Wilson, associate dean for academic affairs. The goal is to increase minority retention and graduation rates by at least 10 percent and continue this program in future years.

Both grants were coordinated by the MCF. The MCF was incorporated in 1949 to solicit financial support from the private sector on behalf of independent, four-year, liberal arts colleges in Michigan. Each of the 14 participating institutions are accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

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