FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MANHATTAN COLLEGE TO HOST EDUCATIONAL CAMP FOR UNDERSERVED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Aiming to give underserved high school students a taste of the college experience, Manhattan College will host 60 students during Camp College weekend from Aug. 6 – 8 at its Riverdale campus. 

Camp College, which is in its fifth year, is a three-day, pre-college camp created for traditionally underserved students who are mainly first-generation college-bound or from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

“This is a program that goes hand in hand with the College’s commitment to first-generation, college-bound students,” said William Bisset, assistant vice president for enrollment management and dean of admissions and financial aid.  “The students who participate in Camp College are qualified candidates to the best colleges in the country and in the state and, without a program like this one, would not recognize their own abilities and potential to pursue a college degree. This program has an incredible record of success in making college a reality for first-generation students.”

Student campers, who are primarily 10th- and 11th-graders, will spend the weekend learning about the college application process and student life through interaction with the College’s counselors, faculty volunteers and simulated classes. Students will attend classes taught by Manhattan College professors. Courses in the arts, science and engineering fields will be offered, coupled with other workshops that address higher education preparation such as researching colleges, essay writing and financial aid applications.  Students will stay in Manhattan College’s residence halls, enjoy meals at on-campus dining facilities and attend other planned social events enabling them to get a good sampling of what college life is all about.

“Camp College lets students ‘try on’ college. Many campers might not otherwise consider higher education,” said Susan Nesbitt Perez, director of outreach programs for Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU), which is a cosponsor. “The benefits of a college education are many. College graduates earn more, become

 active citizens and have the chance to build lifelong friendships.”

This marks the second year Manhattan College will host Camp College on its campus. Last summer, the College was forced to cancel the weekend program due to the unexpected power outage in August that crippled several East Coast cities.  An additional Camp College weekend is being held this summer at Niagara University in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

The majority of the students slated to attend Camp College this summer were nominated by New York’s GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) as well as by state high schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, historically black churches, arts centers and other youth-based nonprofits.  Support by a federal grant awarded to CICU by the Higher Education Services Corp. (HESC) makes the weekend possible, along with funding from the New York State Association of College Admissions Counselors (NYSACAC), GEAR UP and local businesses and volunteers. 

If you are a member of the press interested in covering this event, please contact Melanie A. Farmer at (718) 862-7232 or e-mail melanie.farmer@manhattan.edu.

Manhattan College was founded in 1853 upon the Lasallian tradition of excellence in teaching, inspired by St. John Baptist de La Salle.  Manhattan College is an independent, Catholic, coeducational institution of higher learning offering more than 40 major programs of study in the areas of arts, business, education, engineering and science. 

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