Way2GoMD

More than 300 Get Helpful Way2GoMaryland Advice

ADELPHI, Md. (May 26, 2009)-More than 300 Prince George's County middle-school students, parents, and guardians participated in the University System of Maryland's (USM) Way2GoMaryland event May 16. Way2GoMaryland is USM's information campaign to encourage and motivate more students to begin preparing for college early.

The university system held the event at the Riggs Alumni Center at the University of Maryland, College Park. Offering college-preparation advice and tools to the attendees were Jack Cronin, president of ATK's Mission Systems Group; William E. Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland; and William Hite Jr., superintendent of Prince George's County Public Schools.

Panelists Foday Sackor, a UMCP alumnus who majored in business; and Courtney Halsey, a student at Bowie State University, shared their experiences in preparing for college. Sackor advised the students to "remain focused on your academics, begin preparing for college by taking the tough classes in science and math, listen to your teachers and work together with your parents, and don't fall victim to peer pressure."

After the formal program, participants attended an information fair staffed by admissions and financial aid representatives from most of USM's 11 universities. Also staffing the fair were representatives from the Maryland Higher Education Commission, College Savings Plans of Maryland, and the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC), Way2GoMaryland's newest partner.

USM launched the Way2GoMaryland campaign in fall 2008 at the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore. ATK, a premier aerospace and defense company, is Way2GoMaryland's lead sponsor.

Students and their families, teachers, guidance counselors, and others are accessing the campaign's resources via the campaign's web site, way2gomaryland.org. In addition, USM distributes Way2GoMaryland information cards and posters through schools, churches, Boys and Girls Clubs, MNCPPC, and other organizations.

USM plans to hold Way2GoMaryland events in other regions of Maryland over the next few years. For more information about Way2GoMaryland, visit way2gomaryland.org or e-mail way2gomaryland@usmd.edu.

To view photos from the May 16 Way2GoMaryland event, click here.

To view video from the event, click here.

For more information: Anne Moultrie
301.445.2722, amoultrie@usmd.edu

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