Reflections from the ACTION Director

by Dr. Daniel Brahier

I would like to welcome our 96 ACTION scholars and their families back to BGSU for the 2019-20 academic year – our 11 ^th year as a selective scholarship program! This summer, we introduced 27 new freshmen – Cohort 11 – to the program and are excited to have them onboard.

 

At the opening meeting of the College of Education and Human Development (EDHD) in August, Dean Dawn Shinew announced that ACTION will now be part of EDHD. This marks a significant change for all of us. When ACTION was first established as a Choose Ohio First grant program, it was sponsored as a joint effort of the College of Arts & Sciences and EDHD. Eventually, administrators recognized the impact ACTION was having on the entire university community, so the Office of the Provost took over the program and provided oversight for our activities. This has been the arrangement for the past five years. Some restructuring at BGSU during the past year made it clear that because ACTION scholars are, by default, products of EDHD, it would make sense that we would be housed within the College. So, this year, ACTION has returned to where it started – administered by EDHD.

 

ACTION will continue to have its physical “home” on the third floor of University Hall, and all staffing and programs will remain much the same as before. However, in the coming years, there will be additional effort put into integrating ACTION into the activities of EDHD and working seamlessly with other education-related programs. We look forward to this new relationship and know that it will greatly benefit our scholars.

 

Grades from Spring Semester also crossed my desk this summer. Our scholars collectively had an average Spring GPA of 3.84 with a median GPA of 4.00. In all, two-thirds of the ACTION students earned a perfect 4.00 GPA in the spring! Academically, our scholars continue to outperform their peers at BGSU and beyond due to the development of a tightly knit learning community that features study groups, professional development, peer mentoring, research, and social activities.

 

We encourage all of our readers to watch for monthly newsletters, Twitter and Facebook posts, and other publicity that illustrate the great things ACTION scholars are doing. This month, we will launch our application for Cohort 12 that will begin with Summer Bridge from July 12 – 31, 2020. Please help to spread the good news about ACTION in your communities by forwarding newsletters and retweeting information. We look forward to serving our scholars, alumni, and their families in the 2019-20 academic year!

May Graduates

Last spring, the ACTION May graduates were highlighted in our April newsletter. With 29 scholars completing undergraduate education degrees at the end of Spring Semester 2019, this was our largest group of graduates to date. The May 18 luncheon to honor these students provided an opportunity to highlight their accomplishments, congratulate them, and send them off on the next chapter of their lives.

 

We attempt to keep in touch with all of the ACTION alumni and periodically reach out requesting updates. As of now, we have been informed that 18 May graduates have been hired for teaching positions for 2019-20, four have chosen to attend graduate school, and two have opted to be substitute teachers in order to stay in a specific location. We trust that all of our graduates will continue to be successful in their endeavors beyond college.

Summer Bridge 2019

On July 7, we welcomed 27 new ACTION scholars into our “family” as we began Summer Bridge 2019. When the summer program came to its conclusion at the end of July, Cohort 11 had developed into a tight community and scholars were prepared to be successful from the outset of their freshmen year. Many faculty presenters returned from previous years with similar hands-on science, mathematics and education sessions along with a few added education-focused classes including a field experience. Another bonus this summer was an invitation by BGSU President Rogers to attend a picnic at the University House the first week of Bridge.

 

This group of young students came together to support one another through some adversity during Bridge and we could not be prouder of them. Now, we look forward to walking alongside Cohort 11 as they begin their four-year journey at BGSU.

Welcome Back Meeting

Meeting all together as an ACTION family was a great way to kick off the new school year! On August 27, the second day of BGSU classes, ACTION hosted a Welcome Back Meeting and Dinner for all scholars. Students reconnected after the summer and scholars from various cohorts had the opportunity to interact. Kati Solymosi and MacKenna Whitacre (see photo at right) led the group through an icebreaker activity to kick off the meeting. Then, after Student Advisory Board members and Cohort 11 were introduced, Dr. Brahier provided information on goals for the year, upcoming events, Cohort 12 recruitment and more.

 

This gathering of nearly 100 scholars was a fantastic start to the academic year and the positive atmosphere in the room made it clear this “family” was happy to be back together. Each year is filled with a variety of experiences – some are joyous and others are challenging, but we are grateful that ACTION staff and students provide a support structure for each other. We eagerly anticipate what’s ahead for 2019-20!

www.bgsu.edu/action

Science and Math Education in ACTION

Director: Dr. Daniel Brahier

Program Manager: Wendy Standinger

Program Secretary: Cindy Fuller

Phone 419.372.6561

action@bgsu.edu