U of M students to host College Day for Minneapolis, St. Paul high schoolers

  Minneapolis/St. Paul (3/16/05) - About 250 students from six Minneapolis and St. Paul high schools will get a taste of college life when they attend College Day at the University of Minnesota from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, March 21.

      Students from Minneapolis North, Henry and Washburn high schools and St. Paul Central, Highland Park and Arlington high schools will spend the day shadowing University of Minnesota students, touring the campus (including Coffman Union, classes and residence halls) and attending question-and-answer panels with university students and faculty and workshops on college preparation and college application process.

      "The purpose of College Day is to introduce high school students to college life, its benefits and accessibility in a way that encourages them to strive for higher education upon graduation," said Danelle Johnson of the Black Student Union, the main organizer of College Day. "We are targeting 10th and 11th graders, first generation college-bound students and students of color. We are also providing high school students with mentorship/relationship opportunities with college students with similar interests and backgrounds."

      The day will end with a pizza lunch and entertainment by Voices Merging, a renowned U of M poetry and musical group run by students.

      College Day is sponsored by the university's Black Student Union, National Society of Black Engineers, Asian Student Union, La Raza Student Union, Office of Student Activities, Office of Admissions and the Office of Multicultural and Academic Excellence.