Students enjoyed a festive Italian dinner catered by Sbarro鈥檚 as well as entertainment by the Crescendudes, who performed cappella style. Maribeth Ehasz, vice president Student Development and Enrollment Services, welcomed students and congratulated them on their success. Pedro Patino, associate chair Chemistry Department, served as the keynote speaker for the program. Voted by first-year students as the faculty member most influential in their success for fall 2013, Patino took this opportunity to address these students and offer inspiration for the road ahead. He avowed, “My teaching philosophy is鈥ransmitting knowledge to others.” He finished his presentation with an edict to his students via a proverb: “The only place where success is before work is in the dictionary.”

Elizabeth Santiago, a first year Psychology major from Cape Coral, served as the representative of the 1,824 first year scholars and offered a “student reflection” during the program. She entered 麻豆原创 as a student through the SOAR [Seizing Opportunities for Achievement and Retention] Program in summer 2013. Through this program, Santiago received encouragement and mentoring which ultimately resulted in her being honored as a First Year Scholar by the end of fall 2013. She continues to blossom at 麻豆原创 and utilizes each opportunity to reach her goal of becoming a practicing attorney specializing in family law. During her speech, she detailed the process of decision making and outlined the journey ahead for first year scholars. She spoke the following words to inspire her fellow honorees: “Use this accomplishment as the stepping stone for your next achievement.”

Demings said, “This message is consistently echoed in the actions of academic advisors within First Year Advising and Exploration and we strive to give each student confidence to fulfill their purpose academically, socially, and professionally. It is a charge to ignite all of our students regardless of GPA to move forward in each of their endeavors with the expectation of success.”

Santiago ended with encouraging words, “Dream on, study on, and charge on.”

麻豆原创 is among 284 colleges highlighted in the 2011 College Access & Opportunity Guide, a unique handbook for parents and students who cannot readily afford college and may not be familiar with the public university system.

The guidebook recently recognized 麻豆原创 for its efforts to attract, enroll and retain low-income, first-generation students and highlighted several 麻豆原创 programs, including the 麻豆原创 Achievers Program and the Summer Bridge Programs.

The 麻豆原创 Achievers Program offers direct access to university-sponsored and community-based academic programs for high-achieving local students and their parents.

The Summer Bridge Programs encompasses the Seizing Opportunities for Achievement and Retention (SOAR) and the Pegasus Success Program. Each of these summer programs provides students from disadvantaged backgrounds or those with lower standardized test scores with academic enrichment and community involvement or service opportunities.

The College Access & Opportunity Guide was created by the Center for Student Opportunity, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting higher education opportunities for first-generation and other historically underserved-college bound students.

鈥淲e want to show students and their supporters that the opportunity for college is there,鈥� said Matt Rubinoff, executive director of Center for Student Opportunity. 鈥淭he 2011 College Access & Opportunity Guide is a special resource that provides guidance through the college process and delivers important information on college programs aimed to serve low-income, first-generation college students.鈥�