Monday, November 30, 2015
Atlanta Metropolitan Students Get a Chance to Study Abroad
The Critical Language
Scholarship program is now offering enrolled students at
Atlanta Metropolitan State College the opportunity to study
abroad for the first time.
The
CLS program is a fully funded, intensive overseas language and cultural
immersion program for United States undergraduate and graduate students. This
program is offered for eight to ten weeks for college credit each summer.
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“We believe in the program,” said Vance
Gray,
dean of the Social Science Division. “We know what it can do, and we’re glad to
finally offer the program here at Metro. We’re doing the best interest for the
students.”
The program offers language study in
14 critical
languages and does not require applicants to have any
experience studying critical languages. CLS has a goal of building
relationships between people living in the U.S and other countries.
Kenja
McCray, a staff member at Atlanta Metro, who organized the meeting
in the student center for students to attend. During the meeting a recruiter
for the CLS program, Marlene
Davis, explained to the students how they could discover a
study abroad opportunity. At the meeting students were able to get information
as well as ask questions concerning the program.
“This is an excellent program,” said
Nita Allen, a junior at Atlanta Metro. “I won’t be applying though because I
may not be able to meet the deadlines as well as the requirements. The program
is open for everybody so I encourage everyone to apply, there’s no age limit as
far as seniors, and it’s all-inclusive. They pay for everything, including
orientation so it’s definitely a good program.”
The CLS program covers about one academic semester
of university- level language coursework within those eight to ten weeks. There
are formal classroom learning with a minimum of 20 hours per week. There are
extracurricular activities available as well as one- on- one meetings with
native speaking partners for conversational practice.
The CLS program is an intensive
group based language and cultural enrichment program. It is also a program of
the U.S Department of
State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The ECA works to build a relationship between American and international people
to create peace while giving Americans the chance to learn the history,
politics and the culture of another country.
“I
think is a great opportunity for any student a part of it,” Torion Eason, a
student at Atlanta Metro who was interested in participating in the program.
“It’s a chance for Metro to prove that we, as a school, can compete
academically with any other school regardless of size or number. It’s also a
good look for students who get this rare chance to do something they’ve never
thought could happen coming from where they do, or their background.”
Applying
for this program is open to any undergraduate or graduate student who are U.S
citizens. The student has to be at least 18 years old, and must currently be
enrolled in the semester where applications are being accepted. Applicants must
be in good physical and mental health. Each applicant must provide two letters
of recommendation, which must not be from a person related to the applicant.
The application will also require copies of coursework, transcripts as well as
a few essay questions. These are all used in the determination of the final
selection.
“I always wanted to study abroad,” said Atlanta
Metro freshman Emma Simmons. “That was one of my goals as a college student back
when I was in high school. The only thing I’m worried about is the fact that I
have to leave my whole life behind. Leaving my family would be extremely hard
for me because I’ve never been away from my family that long. If I get accepted
into this program I would have to leave the country. This is an exciting
opportunity though, and is definitely something I’m going to look into.”
Those applicants chosen to participate in
the program will receive a small allowance to cover incidental expenses and
meals not provided by the program. After completion of the program,
participants also receive a certified American
Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview
(OPI) score.
Studying abroad is an opportunity for
students to discover a different language and expand their knowledge, because
that can take one so far in life. Atlanta Metro is proud to say that they can
finally give this possibility to explore other countries. This program is a
program that can provide a good experience and has many benefits
that come along with it.
“I study abroad,” Robert Reid, a travel
blogger tweeted
on his twitter page. “Every time I leave the country #WHTravelBloggers.”
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Atlanta Metro Students Question Financial Aid and Mandatory Fees
Atlanta Metropolitan
State College, one of the most affordable colleges in
the University System of
Georgia, has mandatory fees that are not beneficial to some
students.
Atlanta Metro offers certificates,
associates of Science, arts, applied Science and many Bachelors Programs. The financial aid
office at Atlanta Metro is designed to assist and help students with options on paying
for their college tuition and making important decisions on their funding for
education purposes.
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The students at Atlanta Metro wonder why so many fees
are charged when a lot of them don’t really use the school resources. Some may
only come to the school to attend one or two classes once a week and don’t need
the resources the school has to offer.
Although a student’s financial aid is solely based off
of their income and or parent’s income depending on if the student is a dependent
student or an independent student. Dependent students are
those who gets most of their needs and assets from their parents, an
independent student is one who provides for themselves.
“The mandatory
fees, students see on their total payment amount are charges put out by the
school” says Latice Ford a financial aid representative at Atlanta Metro.
“They’re necessary in order for the school to run.”
All schools have mandatory fees that all students
enrolled are required to pay along with their tuition which is currently $96.67
per credit for students who are considered residents. There are mandatory fees
added into the tuition which are: activity ($60), athletic ($65), technology
($40), institutional ($100) and student center fees ($100). Where applicable,
in addition to these fees stated above students will also be charged an applied
music fees, and annual vehicle registration fee, late fee and lab fee.
Most students receive financial aid to help pay for
college, but there are some who aren’t eligible to receive financial aid which
leaves them to pay out of pocket. No student should have to deal with the
stress of having to pay for college and trying to figure out where the money is
going to come from. That’s why it is always best to apply for financial at www.fafsa.ed.gov
as soon as possible.
“Although I receive financial aid, I’m considered an
out of state student” states Taylor Burrell, a sophomore here at Atlanta Metro.
“I had to take out loans just to cover all my classes because tuition for out
of state students is about $250 more than a student who is considered in state.”
The students at Atlanta Metro seem pressured to use the schools
resources only because it’s included in their tuition, it would be a waste of
money not too use them. Some students have jobs, as well as families and may
not have the opportunity or time to take advantage of these resources the
school has to offer the students. These fees should only be applied to those
who utilize these privileges when needed.
Students are responsible for getting their balance
paid by the end of the drop period. Not only do they have to make sure their
classes are paid for, but the students also have to pay for the required books
for the classes they are enrolled in order to be successful in the class. When
a student only has enough financial aid to cover their classes they are left to
figure out how to get the supplies
needed for class. These mandatory fees total is $365.00 without any credits
added to it. That’s enough to cover the cost of books for two classes.
“I think there should be more clarity on these fees,
as far as where the money goes” says mass comm major Clarence Glenn. “I don’t
think all these fees are necessary when it’s a college. Most of these fees
don’t really make any sense to me, but if colleges like Georgia State and University
of Georgia have the same fees nobody is going to say anything.”
Financial aid is responsible for managing the students
financial assistance programs authorized under the Title IV of the
Higher Education Act of 1965. These programs provide
grants, loans, and work study funds to students attending college.
When students attend college and enroll they have a
focus to get finish and graduate, without financial aid and assistance most
students wouldn’t be able to attend. Financial aid can remove a lot of burden
and stress off students and parents, the mandatory fees that Atlanta Metro charges can
either be lowered to a more reasonable price for college students or only
applied to those to use what these fees are being charged for.
“Higher education can’t be a luxury.” says President
Barack Obama in a quote according to jarofquotes.com. “It
is a necessity, an economic imperative that every family in America should be
able to afford.”
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Atlanta Metropolitan College Offers a Distance Education Program for Students
Atlanta
Metropolitan State College offers courses that are taught online as well as hybrid classes that are
conducted through the internet, for the convenience and flexibility for
students.
Distance learning, also called
distance education occurs when students choose to enroll in a course at a
location that is physically separate from the professor. Atlanta Metro offers some
programs that are completely online. DL can be as effective as the traditional
format when the methods are appropriate to the teaching tasks.
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The DL program at Atlanta Metro is designed to not only provide students with an excellent education but
to also foster and encourage student participation in their online classes. It
is designed to be carried out remotely by using electronic communication.
Communication options include email, live chat rooms, and discussion boards
etc.
Taking a class
online means a student can learn material and do the work on their own time.
It’s convenient for those students who have a busy schedule with work and
family. These students may not have time to attend class on campus. Taking
online courses can be less pressure for students to keep up with other students
and their progress in the class. Online classes are also cheaper than traditional
classes.
“I actually looked
into taking classes online for next semester” says Emma Simmons, a freshman at Atlanta Metro. “I think it would be much easier for me, because I work a lot and I’m a
full time mom, so I could take my classes online to keep me from having to come
on campus four days a week instead I can go to work take care of my child and do
my work once he goes to sleep.”
Online classes
gives one flexibility. If a student is taking a class online, they don’t have
to attend class every week for the desired amount of hours. Taking online
classes gives a student the opportunity to do work on their time and complete
their assignments in an adequate amount of time for them. There is student
teacher interaction and the teachers provide the students with appropriate and
timely feedback. The student must have access to the internet in order to complete
the work assigned to them.
With Metro being
one of many schools that offers DL as an option, it gives the students a
variety of courses to choose from. Students have the opportunity to choose whether
they want traditional courses, completely online courses, or hybrid courses
which are courses that meet on campus for discussion but majority of the work
is completed online. These options give the students control over their
education.
“Online classes is
a good idea” Brianna Desir, an English major at metro says. “I’m a hands on
type of person, so I know online classes would benefit me. It would be hard to
me to stay focused taking online classes, because I would know that I can stop
whenever I want and do whatever I want. It wouldn’t be productive for me.”
Students at Metro taking advantage
of the DL program are students of millions worldwide. Although the courses are
online the students still have the opportunity to use the schools resources as
needed. The students also have the opportunity to speak with instructors face
to face at their convenience. Online classes may not be in the favor of every
college students but they are an option.
DL programs can
teach student’s time management. Online classes don’t meet on a daily basis as
would those with traditional
classes,
so it requires one to have the ability to manage time. Taking online courses
can teach time management because the assignments the students have to complete
can be done on the pace and availability of the student.
“I think taking
online courses are good for those who can manage their time well enough” Marcus
Hyms, an online student at metro. “I have classes that I take online and I have
classes that I have to attend on campus. I would say it is a little more work
than those traditional classes because it’s kind of like I have to teach myself
the material instead of my professor going through the material with me in
class.”
DL provides access
to learning when the source of information and learners are separated by time
and distance. A student taking classes online has to learn without being in
regular face to face contact with a teacher in the classroom. At undergraduate
level DL usually means students engaging with learning material at home or
work.
Students with
scheduling or distance problems can benefit from taking online courses.
Employees can also benefit from such programs because distance education can be
more flexible in terms of time and can be delivered virtually anywhere.
“Distance Learning
(DL) is an instructional delivery system that connects learners with
educational resources.” The California
Distance Learning Project (CDLP) defined on cdlponle.org. “DL provides
educational access to learners not enrolled in educational intuitions and can
augment the learning opportunities of current students. The implementation of
DL is a process that uses available resources and will evolve to incorporate
emerging technologies.”
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Student at Atlanta Metropolitan Gives Others a Sight of Encouragement
Juanita Allen, a current
senior at Atlanta Metropolitan State
College, wants to encourage others that it’s never too late
to finish your education.
Allen is originally from Pittsburgh where she had a gained a
background in interior design, real estate management. She also had a
professional natural hair care day spa in her community. She’s had much
experience in business but didn’t feel she had the proper training to become a
professional according to the books.
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Photo courtesy of Juanita Allen, in a fashionable dress
“I decided to go back to
school in 2012 to re-purpose my life because I found myself being inattentive with
nothing to do,” Allen said. “I’ve done everything but I decided to go back to
see what would happen if I’ve done it with a college degree instead of natural
instinct in being an entrepreneur.”
Allen is currently
studying sociology
at metro and plans to bridge the gap that seniors have between computer technologies.
Most seniors are alienated with computers, and she wants to expand the use of
digital use within the senior community. Most forms that families and
individuals use to communicate now is digital, and a lot of seniors are
intimidated by that.
Allen already had experience with dealing with
a business, although none of them failed she always thought about how she could
have taken them to the next level. She has also had professional background and
training to have a strong foundation to properly maintain a business. That’s
when she decided to move to Atlanta 10
years ago.
“Having Ms. Allen in
class is a pleasure,” Vivian Wood, a communications professor, said. “It’s
never too late to start over or continue your education. Every experience has a
value no matter if it’s negative or positive, so wanting to do something
positive with your life is always positive”
Upon moving to Atlanta
Allen was so determined and focused on making her college experience an
inspiration to others. When first
attending Atlanta Metro she noticed all the services that were available for
seniors to become successful. She began to take advantage of all the resources
available to her on campus. She was involved in TRIO,
and another that was a support for seniors and other students which she enjoyed
very much.
Family began to notice
how Allen became so distant, forgetting her purpose for becoming a college
student. She started to realize that college had so much to offer and she can
become educated on many different subjects. During the time that Allen applied
to Metro she noticed they didn’t offer a program for sociology and they were
also in the process of transitioning to a four year program, so she left. She
then began studying at Georgia
Military College, where she received her associates in General
Studies.
“I noticed my mom was
acting different” Eric Allen “She wasn’t the same person she used to be, she
used to do this and do that. She seemed like a dinosaur because she was so
focused on school and she was determined to accomplish this goal she had set
for herself”
When Allen began her
college life she met a professor by the name of Terrance Kelly. He taught African
American history, which made a significant impact on Allen’s
decision upon her major. This was her first exposure to African American
history, because when she was younger and in her neighborhood there was no
history five or black history. He helped give her a better look and perspective
as of why she should continue her education.
Allen also wants to study
communications. She wants to be able to share her knowledge and experience with
others through communicating. Since communication is mostly digital now, her
goal is to spread this to the senior community and get them involved with
today’s technology. She loves sharing the creative experiences, because that’s
also another way others can learn. Expressing oneself is a creative way to
teach others.
“Nita is so nice” Deja
Hall, communications
major at Metro, said. “I can tell she is really serious
about her education and for someone her age, that’s really important. She is
like a motivation to me, she shows me that it’s never too late to get an
education and that no matter how much I go through to never give up. Education
is the key to success and in my eyes I can tell she sees that as well.”
Allen has taught others
that no matter how old someone is, they should never stop learning. Even if one
is just at the beginning of their career and still deciding, or one is already
in their field and just wants more knowledge. She has been a great inspiration
to not only her children but also her fellow peers.
Dedicating a lot of
her time to college Allen has learned that it is important to stay cognitive.
To stay cognitive is through learning, while in school one can learn many
different everyday life skills.
Education is ageless and individuals can learn from each other and every
situation is a learning experience. It can teach one how to communicate well
with others as well as academic responsibilities.
“Live as if you were to
die tomorrow,” Bud Bilanich, a career mentor says on http://www.budbilanich.com/successful-people-never-stop-learning/. “Learn as if you were to live forever.”
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