Kansas City Eighth-Graders to Visit Campus

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Sixty rising eighth-graders from the Kansas City area will visit the University of Arkansas campus next week to learn about what it’s like to attend college and to study the careers of nursing, engineering, business and nutrition.

The students will take part in programs in the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing in the College of Education and Health Professions, the College of Engineering, the Sam M. Walton College of Business, and the School of Human Environmental Sciences in the Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. Their visit is part of the Kauffman Scholars program and coordinated on campus by Pre-College Programs.

Funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in the Kansas City area, Kauffman Scholars is a comprehensive, multi-year program designed to help promising, yet challenged, low-income urban students in Kansas City prepare for and complete a college education. The program provides support to students beginning in seventh grade and works with the students until they complete college. Students and families can expect to be involved in Kauffman Scholars for 10 or 11 years at no cost to the student or family.

As one of the requirements of the program, students must attend a summer residential program at a university. The program allows universities to reach out to underrepresented groups, such as recruiting men and minorities to nursing. Each student coming to Fayetteville will participate in one of the four academic majors. The academic assignments are based on a worksheet the student fills out describing interests and a form ranking the student’s choice based on brief session descriptions.

“They learn what it will be like to be in college,” said Gina Ervin, senior associate director of Pre-College Programs. “We hope to give them an incredible program.”

In the nursing school, the students will learn about nursing duties, responsibilities and career options in a simulated hospital room surrounded by hospital equipment. They will receive hands-on training in assessing vital signs such as temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure.

Students will bake bread and conduct nutrition experiments when they visit the School of Human Environmental Sciences. The introduction to the science of cooking and nutrition includes taste tests, too.

They will design “bling bling” products and sell them to friends for Walton College Bucks during their time spent in the business school. The students will work in teams learning to use new technology, apply math skills and write business plans.

The engineering program offers the students the chance to build a bridge and a boat, competing with other students on bridge strength and boat speed.

Other activities will include campus tours and admission information, an African American studies lecture, participation in an etiquette seminar with fine dining at Ella’s Restaurant at the Inn at Carnall Hall, a catered dinner and tour of the Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, and recreation at the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Building. Each institute session will conclude with a graduation, pinning ceremony and celebration cookout.

One group of students will arrive the evening of Sunday, July 9, and leave Wednesday, July 12, as the second group arrives for its three-day stay, going home on Saturday, July 15.