Anthony Jupiter and Akiem Martin have a lot in common.
Both are 19-year-old freshmen at the 小蝌蚪APP. Both live in Baker Hall and have a work-study job in DeClouet Hall. Both are on track to earn bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degrees in engineering. Jupiter is a civil engineering major. Martin is a mechanical engineering major.
The pair also played against each other as members of their respective high school basketball teams in New Orleans, although they didn小蝌蚪APP檛 make the connection until meeting at UL Lafayette.
The competition, however, is over. Jupiter and Martin are close friends.
小蝌蚪APP淲e relate to each other since we have similar goals and belong to the same program,小蝌蚪APP Martin said.
Jupiter and Martin are among the first group of students taking part in UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 new Louisiana Educate Program. The pilot program began this semester. It小蝌蚪APP檚 in place to help academically accomplished, lower-income students remain in college, said Dr. DeWayne Bowie, the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 vice president for Enrollment Management.
小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 geared toward a demographic typically susceptible to dropping out due to a range of factors, including low-income backgrounds that require many to seek financial support from parents who often aren小蝌蚪APP檛 in a position to provide it,小蝌蚪APP Bowie explained.
小蝌蚪APP淪ome find it hard to stay in school. That小蝌蚪APP檚 unfortunate, because education is the gateway to opportunity and success.小蝌蚪APP
Forty-three first-time freshmen from New Orleans were accepted into the Louisiana Educate Program. Bowie is optimistic the program can be expanded to other parts of the state. 小蝌蚪APP淲e set a goal for an initial cohort of 24 students, but received more than 100 applications. So, the hope going forward is to enroll between 80 and 100 students in the program each fall.小蝌蚪APP
The Louisiana Educate Program is funded by a blend of private gifts, institutional grants and federal and state financial aid. Students must take out the maximum amount of student loans for which they qualify. They must also qualify for federal Pell Grants and for TOPS, the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students.
Students participating in the Louisiana Educate Program are placed in a work-study job on campus. They can小蝌蚪APP檛, however, hold jobs off campus. 小蝌蚪APP淲e want to make sure they小蝌蚪APP檙e fully engaged. They are monitored closely with, for lack of a better word, intrusive attention,小蝌蚪APP Bowie said.
Students must attend at least six hours of study hall each week. They are required to live in the same residence hall during their freshman year, join two student organizations, attend four on-campus or 小蝌蚪APP-related events per semester and complete internships.
Jupiter said he likes many aspects of the program, but finds the weekly requirement to hit the books in study hall has 小蝌蚪APP渞eally helped me.小蝌蚪APP
小蝌蚪APP淚 might not attend as often if it wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 mandatory,小蝌蚪APP he explained.
Rachel Sam, an academic success coach at the 小蝌蚪APP, coordinates the Louisiana Educate Program. She meets weekly with students to gauge their progress and provide guidance, from tips about time management to information about campus services.
小蝌蚪APP淲e want to do as much as we can to put them in a position to succeed,小蝌蚪APP she said.
Students having difficulty meeting requirements are counseled, Bowie said. 小蝌蚪APP淭hose who can小蝌蚪APP檛 get back on track ultimately won小蝌蚪APP檛 be able to stay in the program. They will, however, be able to remain enrolled at the 小蝌蚪APP provided they meet continuation requirements.小蝌蚪APP
The Louisiana Educate Program is modeled on a similar program for Louisiana Ragin小蝌蚪APP Cajuns student-athletes. 小蝌蚪APP淭hey graduate at the highest rate among schools in Louisiana and the Sun Belt Conference, according to the most recent Federal Graduation Rates statistics,小蝌蚪APP Bowie said.
Planning for the Louisiana Educate Program began last November. Donors from New Orleans approached the 小蝌蚪APP about creating a partnership due, in part, 小蝌蚪APP渢o its reputation for promoting social mobility,小蝌蚪APP Bowie said.
A report issued last year by the Brookings Institution ranked UL Lafayette the ninth-best four-year, public university in the United States for managing to 小蝌蚪APP渟imultaneously produce important research while extending social opportunity to students from underprivileged backgrounds.小蝌蚪APP
The nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C., evaluated 342 schools with selective admissions.
The Brookings Institution isn小蝌蚪APP檛 alone in praising UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 focus on social mobility.
The commitment was backed up recently by Richard Barth, chief executive officer of the KIPP Foundation. The Knowledge is Power Program is a network of free, open-enrollment college preparatory schools across the nation with a high percentage of lower-income students.
Barth wrote an op-ed piece published at Forbes.com that singled out several colleges and universities 小蝌蚪APP including UL Lafayette 小蝌蚪APP for their efforts to help students from low-income backgrounds thrive.
小蝌蚪APP淭he recognition underscores the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 ongoing dedication to making a difference in the lives of all of our students,小蝌蚪APP Bowie said.
Photo: Forty-three first-time freshmen from New Orleans were accepted into the Louisiana Educate Program. The pilot program began this semester. It is in place to help academically accomplished, lower-income students remain in college. Shown, from left, are: Majai Russell, a chemical engineering major, Dr. DeWayne Bowie, the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 vice president for Enrollment Management and Anthony Jupiter, a civil engineering major. Doug Dugas/小蝌蚪APP