Knott, Rota – AHS8200 - Week 13 Journal

Monday, April 16, 2018 (2:30-6:30 p.m.)

It is taking a lot longer to update the scholarship database than I had hoped because
information is significantly outdated, organizational contacts have changed, and people simply don’t
return phone calls or emails. I worked on it for a few hours today and it seems like a task that will
never be completed – or if it is, it will be time start all over again as soon as it is finished. It’s
overwhelming and incredibly boring but it needs to be done.
Fortunately, I spoke with my business contact who is interested in pursuing a college and
career access program in the county to pay for local youth to continue their education. He is
working with a program at University of Maryland Eastern Shore that has received a grant through
the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to assess community health perceptions and needs. He
believes that group may be able to allocate some funding to assist us with updating the scholarship
database using interns from UMES. That was exciting news at just the right time.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018 (4:30-7:30 p.m.)

I met with representatives from Shore Way to College, a new program designed to
prepare this next generation of scholars to pursue their dreams through college and career access
programing. The ultimate goal is to make sure eligible students in grades 7, 8, and 9 are in prime
position to receive that funding after graduation. The program components include college and
career planning in school, tutoring at school and in the community, financial aid workshops,
college tours, and college preparation classes.
The program held a financial aid workshop in Crisfield to explain the funding for college
that could be available to Somerset County students upon graduation. Representatives from the
financial aid department at University of Maryland Eastern Shore discussed the financial aid
process and scholarship searches, and UMES athletics gave presentation for student athletes on
collegiate athletic eligibility, recruitment, and scholarships. Although the program targets a
younger population than my proposed college and career access program for first-generation and
justice-involved youths, it offers a great service to the community and a variety of resources that
could be modified to benefit other populations.

Thursday, April 19, 2018 (12-1 p.m.)

The monthly luncheon for the Princess Anne Chamber of Commerce was held today. The
guest speaker was Keith O’Neal, principal of the J.M. Tawes Technology Career Center at Somerset
County Public Schools. He discussed the school system’s facilities plans for programming at a new
career and technology center that is currently under construction. The new school will offer a
plethora of career training and skills development opportunities for both students and adults that will
allow them to gain an entry level job into a chosen field. Additionally, every program the school
offers can lead to post-secondary opportunities at local colleges. Once the new school is up and
running, it will be a wonderful partner for the SCLMB’s programs.
This was a great networking opportunity. I wanted to do more of this while working on my
capstone project, but time just got away from me. I plan to continue attending these types of
activities.