CAMPUS/AREA
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Friday, September 23, 1994
3A
Peers aim for success at Social Welfare
Group gives welfare students support
Julianne Peter / KANSAN
By Tanya Rose Special to the Kansan
Steve Winn remembers what it was like as a new graduate student in the School of Social Welfare.
"Sometimes it was my only glimmer of hope," he said. "I had a guardian angel or a big brother to call on at crunch time."
He felt isolated because he was the only African American and the only male in his classes. But he always had a friend, or "mentor" to call on.
Faculty and students from the School of Social Welfare meet to discuss the "Peers for Success" program
Winn, a second-year graduate student from Topeka, is now offering the guidance instead of receiving it.
He is one of the six "peers" participating in a program within the School of Social Welfare called "Peers for Success." The program was created last fall to benefit minority graduate students entering the master of social work program. Six "peer associates," or second-year graduate students, are hired by the school to act as a mentor and friend to new minority students.
The mentors are available day and night, to answer questions and give advice to new students about classes and potential fears. Three associates work on the Lawrence campus, and three are assigned to the graduate program at the Regent's Center in Overland Park. Each peer associate is in charge of six to eight new students.
Winn said he believed he could be a strong influence and make an impact on the lives of new students. He said so far he had helped the students he is helping go through the enrollment process and helped them fill out scholarship applications.
Lemuel E. Kimes, assistant to the dean and coordinator of the program, said that a large
number of the students entering the masters' program had been away from school for five to 20 years so having a mentor can help tremendously.
He emphasized that while this is a program to help and guide, it does not mean that all new students are expected to have difficulty.
"We don't expect them to have problems." Kimes said. "We just want to make sure there's someone in place they can turn to to help them get off on the right foot."
In order to be chosen as one of the six peer associates, students must demonstrate academic excellence, a willingness to serve others and be approachable, Kimes said. Each is then given a $2,500-a-year scholarship for their services. This is funded by donations to the school.
Ann Weick, dean of social welfare, said that this year an anonymous donor provided $20,000 for this program.
Dorri Scott Eades, second-year Kansas City, Kan., graduate student and peer associate, said that so far she had dealt with questions from students regarding classes, what to expect from certain professors and how their lives would change because of the demands on time.
She said she hoped to be a good resource for students and would like to be instrumental in making their two or three years at KU successful.
Scott Eades said she spent eight to nine hours the first week of the semester getting to know the students. She also obtained used books from old classmates and gave them to new students to use — free of charge.
"Instead of them having to buy a $51 book new from the bookstore, I just called up my classmates and got their used ones for free," she said. "Helping others is part of being a social worker."
Social Welfare's graduate minority enrollment increases
By Tanya Rose
Special to the Kansan
she said.
Minority enrollment in the School of Social Welfare's graduate program is higher this fall than it has been in more than two decades.
Edith Black, assistant dean of social welfare, said the faculty and staff were very pleased with the increase.
Seventeen percent, or approximately 80 of the 450 students in the Master of Social Work program, are minorities, which is a gain of about 30 new minority students.
"This growth is very important, especially within this school, because social workers deal with people of very diverse ethnicity."
Black said faculty and students in the school have done many things in the recent years to generate ethnic diversity.
She said programs in the school such as "Peers for Success," a mentor program and the annual career fair were able to give students the social support they need to make a smooth transition and replace their apprehension with confidence.
"We are every pleased," she said. "We feel that all of our efforts have finally come together."
Ann Weick, dean of social welfare, said this year the school had obtained about $75,000 for minority scholarships. This figure includes everything from fund raisers and
federal assistance to donations from private organizations.
Ortencia Mendez, a second-year graduate student from Lawrence and a recipient of one of these minority scholarships, said that she believed that fundraisers such as an alumni telethon were an essential part of the recruitment of minorities, especially for graduate students.
"A lot of the federal money and funding from the Student Senate go to the undergraduate program, and graduate students get what's left over - if there is any," she said.
Mendez said she also liked the way the school gave social support to those receiving the financial aid.
"Those getting aid have to attend scheduled meetings," she said. "They don't just give you the money and forget about you, and that helps."
Steve Winn, a second-year graduate student from Topeka and a recipient of minority scholarships and a mentor in the peer program, said that between the Peers for Success program and increasing funds, minority enrollment could only keep increasing.
"If these trends continue, the numbers will definitely continue to grow," he said. "Funding is very important because it can get students here, but social support through things like the peer program will keep them here, and that is most important."
KU student rams into car
Kansan staff report
Police said the student was drunk and trying to drive out of the parking lot at about 12:45 a.m. Two acquaintances tried to prevent him from leaving the lot by blocking the entrance with their car.
A 22-year-old KU student was arrested early yesterday morning in the Jayhawker Towers parking lot after biting an acquaintance and ramming his car into another car.
KU police said they arrested the student and charged him with driving under the influence, battery, assault and criminal damage. The student was taken to Douglas County Jail and released yesterday morning on a signature bond, which requires no money.
He then attempted to leave the parking lot by ramming the other car, police said.
Damage was estimated to be $500. No one was hurt in the incident, police said.
The student's blood-alcohol content was. 15, police said.
SUAgets lecture money
Kansanstaffreport
Student Senate voted Wednesday night to give Student Union Activities $8,001 to finance a lecture by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. SUA plans to have Vonnegut speak at the Lied Center in February. He has not yet been contacted by SUA about the lecture.
In other Senate action, a bill concerning financing for Pinch Magazine, an alternative on-campus publication, was tabled. Representatives of the magazine were unclear that a group could only ask for financing once a year for a particular item, said Melissa Leeland, executive secretary for Senate. She said the representatives wanted to ask for money once this semester and once next semester, which is not allowed. Other bills passed by the Senate were:
A bill to fund Latin American Solidarity for $456.
A bill to fund the Student Political Task Force for $604.
A bill to fund The Institute of Public Administration and Policy for $289.
A bill to fund the Costa Rican Student Association for $409.
New recital hall next to Lied will house 34-foot-tall organ
By Ashley Miller Kansan staff writer
In about 18 months, students will have more than 3,000 reasons to visit the new Bales Recital Hall.
The hall, which should be completed by spring of 1996, will showcase a 34-foot tall pipe organ with 3,100 to 3,200 pipes, said James Higdon, professor of organ in the department of music and dance.
Each pipe is for a different key or pedal on the organ, he said. The largest pipe will stand 32-feet tall and will be large enough in diameter for a person to fall into, Higdon said. The smallest pipe will be the size of a pencil.
Higdon said the organ cost about $750,000.
Right now, organ students are using several small rooms and pipe organs in Murphy Hall for practices and recitals, Higdon said.
The new recital hall, which will accommodate about 240 people, originally was designed around the organ because the organ was designed first, Higdon said. The hall will be used for organ classes, student and faculty recitals, small instrumental and choral group performances, master classes and music conferences. A few faculty also will have offices in the hall.
Construction should begin in the
next two or three weeks, said Daryl Beene, senior vice president of property management for the KU Endowment Association. The hall will cost about $2.1 million, excluding the price of the organ.
The hall, which will be constructed by Universal Construction Co., of Kansas City, Mo., will be built next to the Lied Center and will have the same architectural style, Beene said. It will be on the north side of the center, and the two facilities will share part of a lobby.
The University should be able to have an event in the hall and one in the center at the same time, Higdon said.
The hall is named for KU alumni
Dane and Polly Bales, Higdon said. The couple donated $750,000 to build a facility with an organ, in addition to an unnamed amount they contributed to the School of Fine Arts about six years ago.
Higdon said Dane Bales also was the trustee of the Hansen Foundation, a private foundation that supports various activities in Kansas. It donated another $250,000.
Peter Thompson, dean of the School of Fine Arts, is designing stained glass windows for the large windows at the back of the hall.
"Really that is one of the highlights of the hall," Higdon said. "They're going to be magnificent."
Artist drawing of the Bales Recital Hall, which will be located next to the Lied Center.
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