News > April 3, 2008

By Natalie Ranck | Asst. news editor

It is definitely not uncommon to see groups of prospective students trying to find their way around campus, peeking in dorm rooms and eating at the Pit, but on April 10 a different group of prospective students will be touring campus. Project Launch, an organization that provides a service learning opportunity for university students, will be bringing their seventh grade student advisees from 8:30 a.m. -1:15 p.m. on April 10 to the university for a little taste of college life.

Project Launch was started in 1999 and is a year-long mentoring program for seventh graders at Paisley IB Magnet Middle School.

The program emphasizes character education and provides insight into the college experience.

The group currently consists of 12 university student-volunteers who go twice a month to the school to talk about different topics with the seventh graders.

Some of these topics have included inter- and intra-sexual interactions, the importance of volunteering and good grades, and tips on how to get into college.

The program gives the children positive role models. “They can associate more with us because we’re closer to their age,” sophomore Fatu Bangura, the university’s student coordinator of the program, said.

The mentoring takes place during one of the seventh graders’ elective classes, and the volunteers begin a discussion-based lecture on a certain topic, in which they pose questions and get the students’ feedback.

“We talk about issues that affect seventh graders and share our experiences with them so they can see there are alternate ways of dealing with their problems,” Bangura said.

The volunteers also get to know their students on a personal level.

“Each mentor has their own group of about five students that they meet with each time they go. That way the children get to know the mentor and the mentor gets to know the children, which makes a greater impact on both parties,” Bangura said.

Though this program doesn’t cost anything, in order to be involved the seventh graders must complete an application and then have an interview with Judy Noll, the head of the initiative. This means that the seventh graders come from different backgrounds, which increases diversity within the program.

“It’s made me more aware of different economic groups,” Bangura said. “Project Launch isn’t just minority-based. Children from all socio-economic classes apply to get into the program. It’s kind of like a microcosm of our world and their interactions show that.”

On April 10, however, these students will come to the university and participate in various activities in order to help them better understand college life. They will take a tour of the library and then of the campus, followed by a talk by Lewis Frazier (‘07), a student-athlete who will discuss the importance of balancing school and sports.

Campus Kitchen will also get involved by leading a discussion on eating healthy and staying active.

The gospel choir and theater ensemble will perform and the volunteer service corps will talk about different ways they can get involved now and once they get into college. Also, admissions will talk about what they can do to improve their chances of getting into college.

The program is beneficial to the students because it provides them with information and insight into their future, but it also makes an impact on the volunteers who work with them.

“They really do brighten your day, because they are so excited to see you … you feel like you really do make difference,” Bangura said.

For information on how to get involved, contact Fatu Bangura at bangf6@wfu.edu.