Release

Albany High Freshmen Get Glimpse of College Life
Albany High School – UAlbany Alliance for Young Talent visitors' program will kick off Thurs., Oct. 12, 9 .a.m. at University Hall

Contact: Catherine Herman (518) 956-8150

ALBANY, N.Y. (October 6, 2006) -- Throughout the academic year, the University at Albany will host the freshman class of Albany High School, allowing the younger students opportunities to interact with UAlbany students and receive an early view of the college experience. The University will host groups of 30-40 Albany High freshmen per visit to tour the campus and discuss course selection, studying, socializing, and other aspects of college life with current UAlbany students. Albany High students will visit weekly until the entire class of 900 freshmen have completed the program.

The first visit begins 9 a.m. Thurs., Oct. 12, at University Hall on the uptown campus.

The tours are a program of the Albany High School–UAlbany Alliance for Young Talent, a strategic partnership formed in 2005 to leverage the combined strengths of the City School District of Albany and the University at Albany for the development of young talent and the prosperity of the Albany community.

"Our partnerships with Albany High School are based on the premise that students can better take advantage of opportunities that exist in higher education if they're exposed early on, when they have time to pave their own path through focus and academic distinction," said Susan Herbst, UAlbany's provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. "Ultimately, we hope they consider UAlbany, but in the end it's our obligation to help them see that all higher education is within their grasp."

The campus visits provide means for the Alliance to address their goals of inspiring and preparing students to realize their potential, increasing the college-bound focus of Albany High School students, increasing the access of Albany High School students to UAlbany, and advancing faculty collaborations and professional development opportunities for teaching and leadership.

"These visits allow more of our students to envision a future in which college plays an important role," said Albany Schools Superintendent Dr. Eva Joseph. "This program and others that have grown through our partnership with the University at Albany have added a valuable dimension to their lives."

The students' half-day agenda includes an orientation program, a campus tour, lunch in the one of the residence hall cafeterias, a student panel discussion, and a take-home packet filled with detailed information about college life and academic programs and opportunities at UAlbany. In addition to general orientation materials, the panel discussion will include UAlbany students sharing their undergraduate experiences followed by a question and answer session engaging Albany High School students.

Other Alliance collaborative programs include the Albany High School "Teach Out," where faculty from UAlbany team with Albany High faculty for a day of teaching at the high school, and an expansion of Albany High School's Senior Career Exploration Program with expanded field placements for students to experience college-bound careers. A Forensic Science Shadow Pilot with UAlbany's Northeast Regional Forensic Institute (NERFI) now includes forensic lectures by UAlbany faculty at Albany High School, followed by hands-on training in the NERFI DNA laboratories on the UAlbany campus.