By Lynn Moore, The Muskegon Chronicle

April 26, 2010

MUSKEGON -- A program through the University of Michigan aimed at increasing the number of students pursuing higher education will place a college adviser at Muskegon High School beginning next year.

The full-time adviser, a recent graduate of U-M, will not cost the school district anything while providing students valuable help getting lined up for post-secondary education, officials said.

Muskegon High is one of eight schools statewide that will get an adviser next year through the U-M's new Michigan College Advising Corps, which is part of a nationwide effort to improve college attendance.

The adviser will assist students in lining up college-entrance exams, filling out admissions applications and seeking financial aid, said Muskegon High School Principal Dave Lewis. A bonus is that the adviser will be a young person fresh out of college that can provide "that energy and connection" with Muskegon students, Lewis said.

"Any time we can have an additional person to nurture our students and nurture their futures, we're going to jump up and down," Lewis said.

The Michigan College Advising Corps, or MCAC, is new this year and aims to increase the number of low-income and first-generation college students. The recent U-M grads selected for the corps will receive intensive training over the summer and will work up to two years as college advisers in high schools.

"This is not a recruitment program for the University of Michigan," said Amy Prevo, assistant director of the U-M's Center for Educational Outreach. "The adviser's main goal is to help students learn information about a variety of post-secondary options after high school."

The adviser will be placed at Muskegon High for an indefinite amount of time, Prevo said.

"This is a long-term commitment," she said. "We want to be invested in the communities we're serving."

The MCAC is provided financial support through the National College Advising Corps, which is funded by The Kresge Foundation, the Jack Kent Cook Foundation, Lumina Foundation for Education and Bank of America. The NCAC, started in 2004, has 14 constituent programs at universities throughout the nation.

Muskegon was chosen to receive an adviser partly because of the "really great work" the community has already done to promote college, Prevo said. Muskegon Opportunity is a community effort to reduce high school dropout rates and help students access post-secondary education and training.

Also, Muskegon County a year ago was designated one of 10 educational Promise Zones in Michigan. Promise Zones can capture one-half of the growth in the state education tax collected statewide through property taxes, and use the money for college scholarships, but only after distributing privately funded scholarships for two years.

The adviser will work with students in a variety of ways, on an individual basis and also by offering workshops on the benefits of colleges and what admissions officials look for, Prevo said. The adviser will get information to freshmen and sophomores to get them thinking early about college, and will even visit middle schools, she said.

"This creates another avenue for students to develop that relationship with somebody," Lewis said. "Sometimes students just need that subtle press."