The UM-Dearborn advisers are excited about their new roles. “I am thrilled to be working for AdviseMI and sharing with high school students the tools that can help them achieve their goals,” said Ranequa Kelley-Boyd, who will be advising at Wayne Memorial High School, Wayne. “There were many people that helped me along the way, so I am looking forward to having the chance to pay it forward.”
Other participants include John Bonello, who will be at Bullock Creek High School and Academic and Career Education Academy, Midland; Elizabeth Kiluk, at Oscar A. Carlson High School, Gibraltar; Michael Micheletti, at Old Redford Academy, Detroit; and Lindsay Mieden, at Woodhaven High School, Woodhaven.
Adviser responsibilities include helping students set a postsecondary education goal, prepare for college admissions exams, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, secure financial aid, and formally enroll in a higher education program.
“We are very pleased that five UM-Dearborn graduates have the opportunity to support students in accessing higher education,” said Ray Metz, interim vice chancellor for enrollment management and student life, UM-Dearborn. “We are especially excited that our graduates will be able to help students who otherwise might not have considered getting a college degree. Many first generation students and students with financial needs will benefit from the encouragement and advice that these advisers provide.”
College advisers were selected through a competitive interview process from UM-Dearborn and 11 other universities partnering with MCAN. Together, partnering universities co-invested with MCAN and other funding partners to sustain the program over multiple years.
“The graduates chosen from UM-Dearborn are bright professionals with an excitement to help students navigate the college process,” said Brandy Johnson, MCAN executive director. “We are eager to complete their training, send them to their new communities to serve, and assist them in raising the number of students pursuing higher education in their schools.”
To see the complete list of partner high schools and colleges, and to learn more about the new program, visit www.micollegeaccess.org/statewide-initiatives/advisemi.
