Education briefs
Address planned A best selling author, television personality and producer – Irshad Manji will address the students, faculty and friends of California University of Pennsylvania today at 7 p.m. in Steele Auditorium. There is no admission charge.
Her speech, “Taking Opportunity from Oppression,” combines personal stories with political philosophy to educate the audience on different and daring ways to be unique.
Following the multi-media presentation, Manji, will host a reception in which she will further discuss the obstacles she has overcome as a gay and lesbian advocate, the ideas and themes of her two books and “the utopia of complexity.” Also, she will answer questions and work to promote dialogue between audience members and herself.
Courses offered
West Virginia University, Morgantown, W.Va., is offering summer courses that include study abroad, an increased offering of online courses and the traditional classroom fare of core liberal arts subjects.
Summer Session I is May 20 through June 27; the second session is July 1 through Aug. 8. Registration begins Monday, March 24.
Course listings and enrollment information for the Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences are available on the Web at a href=”http://www.caf.wvu.edu/news/Summer_2003.htm http://www.caf.wvu.edu/news/Summer_2003.htm end
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The Department of Mathematics is offering a pilot course that will allow students to meet their college algebra requirements. For more information, go to a href=”http://www.math.wvu.edu/workshop/WKS_126_combo.htm http://www.math.wvu.edu/workshop/WKS_126_combo.htm end
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For information on other summer courses, visit a href=”http://www.wvu.edu/~summer/ http://www.wvu.edu/~summer/ end
. Students who need financial aid for the summer can apply online at a href=”http://www.wvu.edu/~finaid/ http://www.wvu.edu/~finaid/ end
. The application priority deadline is April 1.
Honors convocation set
On Saturday at 2 p.m., California University of Pennsylvania will recognize more than 700 of its best and brightest students at Honors Convocation in Hamer Hall Gymnasium.
The university recognizes, encourages and rewards academic excellence on the part of master’s, baccalaureate and associate degree-seeking students by honoring Presidential Scholars at the annual Honors Convocation during the spring semester.
A baccalaureate degree-seeking student designated as a Presidential Scholar must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or better in a baccalaureate program and have completed 64 credits (if a junior) and 96 credits (if a senior). An associate degree-seeking student designated as a Presidential Scholar must have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 at Cal U and have completed 45 credits. At this year’s Honors Convocation, 136 graduate students will be recognized.
Cal U President Dr. Angelo Armenti Jr. will preside and United States Attorney Mary Beth Kotcella Buchanan (class of 1984) will give the honors address “You Can Make a Difference.”
Buchanan is the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. A life-long resident of western Pennsylvania, she is a 1984 graduate of California University of Pennsylvania, and a 1987 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
Any students that believe they should have been included and did not receive an invitation are urged to check with their area’s respective dean.
Speakers announced
The noted children’s author-illustrator team of Betsy and Giulio Maestro and poet/author Norma Fox Mazer will be featured speakers at the seventh annual Children’s Literature Conference at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg Friday, May 3.
Registration deadline for the program is March 28. For registration information, contact Evan Cornell at 724-836-7170 or visit the conference Web site at www.pitt.edu/~upg/chil.html
. The $50 registration fee includes lunch and admission to a book sale and signing.
Seminar slated
Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School will conduct an admissions seminar for interested students and their parents Wednesday, March 26.
The seminar will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel, Pittsburgh. For information, call 724-643-1180 or visit the Web site www.wpccs.org
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Deadline extended
The application deadline for the 2003 Free Enterprise Scholars Award has been extended to March 31.
NFIB Free Enterprise Scholars Awards are offered to high school seniors who have demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit and initiative. The program will award a minimum of 100 non-renewable scholarships, each for $1,000. Eligibility is limited to those entering their freshman year of an accredited two or four-year university/college, community college or vocational/technical institute. Each applicant must obtain the nomination of an NFIB member.
Applications are available online at www.nfibeducationfoundation.org
. School officials, students and parents should contact Laura Martin at 1-800-NFIB-NOW for more information.
Programs planned
A series of outreach programs, focusing on a successful college experience, is being offered by three college centers at the Community College of Allegheny County this spring.
The free sessions are scheduled at: the Bethel Park Center, Bethel Park, 412-833-3630; Mon-Valley Center, McKeesport, 412-673-7220; and CCAC Washington County, Washington Crown Center, 724-223-1012.
Open house set
The Fort Burd Preschool, 200 Thornton Rd., Brownsville, is holding an open house on Monday, April 21 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Parents and their children are invited to attend this open house when registration forms will be available. The Monday-Wednesday-Friday class is for students who will be 4 years old by Aug. 31. The Tuesday-Thursday class is for students who will be 3 years old by Aug. 31. Both classes are from 9 to 11:30 a.m. classes run from September through May. Registrations are accepted on a first come, first served basis.
For further information or a registration form, call 724-785-3080 between the hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Applications available
The Pennsylvania High Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) announced that applications are available for the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program.
The application deadline is May 1.
The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program is a federally funded program designed to reward academic excellence in high school and encourages students to achieve an education at the postsecondary level. The program offers merit scholarships to exceptional high school seniors who have been accepted at an institution of higher education.
Interested high school seniors can obtain applications for the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship from their high school counselor, by contacting PHEAA at 800-692-7392 or online at www.PHEAA.org.
Ball planned
The Saint Vincent College Alumni Council will host the second annual Father Gilbert J. Burke, O.S.B. Easter Ball on Saturday, March 29, at 6:30 p.m. in the grand ballroom of the Omni William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh.
All alumni and guests as well as friends of Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, are invited to attend this semi-formal event which will benefit student scholarships. This event honors Burke, the former alumni director who now serves as assistant to the college president and as Saint Vincent Seminary alumni director.
The cost to attend will be $75 a person, however tables of 10 are available for $700. Reservations are being handled by the Alumni Office at 724-537-4568.