March, 2007 - NOVA - Eastern Kentucky University

The
STAR
Welcome to the March/April issue of the STAR! We are glad you have decided to
take a few minutes to see what NOVA has been up to….which is quite a lot! In this
issue, you will:
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Be introduced to our two presenters at Posters at the Capitol
Learn about how NOVA students engaged in important service
Find out what Jane Tinsley learned from a Policy Seminar
Spend some quality time with our Office Manager Valerie Merlin
Get to know our fantastic Clerical Staff
Read the buzz about Peer Leader Recruitment
Meet our two new Roving NOVA Reporters!
Be introduced to one of our shining stars!
Don’t Touch This Button! Instead…
Click here for a detailed description
of Registration and Advising Dates,
and check out
When Can I
www.advising.eku.edu for much
Register for
more information!
Classes????
Important News to Use!
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Math 107/201 Placement Test Information
http://www.testing.eku.edu/placement/
Undergraduate Poster Showcase Friday April 13th 11-1 in Keen
Johnson
NOVA End of the Year Poster Session for Leadership Dynamics
Course
o May 9th in Keen Johnson (more to come soon!)
NOVA PRESENTS: POSTERS AT THE CAPITOL
NOVA students Sharon McIntosh and Billy Colemire were among over 100
students whose abstracts were selected for participation in Posters-at-the-Capitol
2007. They were accompanied on this trip by one of their two mentors, Lisa Cox a
NOVA Academic Specialist (Stephen was on campus teaching the Leadership
classes). Congratulations Billy and Sharon for representing NOVA!
ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAKS: FROM D.C. TO LOUISIANA!
Thanks to funding from the EKU Foundation Board, 11 NOVA students received
$125 each to participate in EKU’s first ever Alternative Spring Break program.
NOVA students traveled to Washington, DC and Slidell, Louisiana to engage in
meaningful and exciting community service activities.
Washington, DC NOVA Participants: Back row: Rodney Pratt, Danielle Houston, Ticha
Chickuni, Brittany Davenport, Billy Colemire, Middle row: Ashley Reid, Angela Cravens,
Courtney Rose, Bobbie Potts, Front row: Justin Young, Mrs. Atlanta Littlejohn and Lisa
Cox, Academic Specialist
Here is Timmy Prewitt working
hard at the table saw in Slidell,
LA. Not pictured is Michael
Ricke, another NOVA student
who went to Slidell!
Jane
Says…
Jane Tinsley, the NOVA Assistant Director, attended the Council
for Opportunity annual Policy Seminar over Spring Break week.
Here’s Jane telling us about this year’s seminar:
Did you know that you have a voice in Washington who advocates
for your educational rights on a daily basis? During Spring Break,
I traveled to Washington D.C. along with 900 TRiO personnel
from around the United States to attend the annual Council of
Education Policy Seminar. The seminar provides the opportunity
to teach TRiO personnel and alumni how to voice concerns that
affect TRiO students in their pursuit for a higher education like
financial aid, or cutting funds for programs that provide education
opportunities. We had the opportunity to visit Capitol Hill and
share student success stories with congressional representatives
and senators from our regions. COE advocates for all students to
have equal opportunity to access a college degree.
GO TRiO, and GO NOVA!!! - Jane
Put the Spotlight on Valerie: by Jessica Figg
Valerie Merlin has worked for the NOVA program for
sixteen years. As the office manager, there are so many
things she loves about her job including the fact she
works with a wonderful staff and the contact she makes
with students including her clerical staff. As a mother of
four and a grandmother, Valerie enjoys traveling to visit
them when she can. Other hobbies she has include
reading and walking for exercise. Valerie thinks the
NOVA program and its staff is wonderful and is grateful
for the opportunity to work with the program.
Meet The Clerical Staff! Andrea Wyatt (right) has worked
with NOVA since Fall 2005, while Kim Stocker joined our
team this Spring. These student workers provide a ton of
assistance to the staff, and we appreciate everything they do to
help keep the program running!
Eastern Kentucky University is an Equal
Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer
and educational institution and does not
discriminate on the basis of age, race,
color, religion, sex, sexual orientation,
disability, national origin or Vietnam era
or other veteran status, in the admission
to, or participation in, any educational
program or activity which it conducts, or
in any employment policy or practice.
Any complaint arising by reason of
alleged discrimination should be directed
to the Equal Opportunity Office, Eastern
Kentucky University, Jones Building,
Room 106, Coates CPO 37A, Richmond,
Kentucky 40475-3102, (859) 622-8020
(V/TDD), or the Director of the Office for
Civil Rights, U.S. Department of
Education, Philadelphia, PA.
Take The Plunge!
Become A NOVA Peer Leader!
You can serve the NOVA program by becoming a Peer Leader in the Fall
2007! Be on the lookout for information about eligibility requirements, as
well as locations of informational sessions! We hope you decide to give
back to the program, and if you know of someone outside the NOVA
program who might be interested in becoming a LEADER…let us know!
Welcome Aboard the STAR Newsletter Team!
Jessica Figg (left) and Brittany Davenport have
decided they don’t have enough to do, so they’ve
joined forces with Stephen to develop our
program’s newsletter!
Each subsequent edition will feature Brittany and
Jessica reporting on people, places, and events
which NOVA and EKU students will find
fascinating and important…if you have a story and
want to be included in our news, contact them
today!
Each newsletter, we will highlight another NOVA student. This time, it’s Leann
Lacy-Williams!
What has NOVA done for you, Leann?
“The NOVA program is a great organization to introduce you to campus without being
overbearing and offer all the help you might need. This help of course includes
money. Since I've been in NOVA I have met many great people and I received the
spring grant for books just for taking a Leadership Dynamics course taught by
Stephen and Lisa. It’s called leadership dynamics and you get to help the community.
My cause in this class is helping child cancer patients at UK! NOVA is also sponsoring
me to study abroad in Mexico! They even offer things like traveling to the capitol,
helping humanity by visiting other states and they even offer to send you to things
like leadership conferences that will help you look better on resumes. I could go on
and on but NOVA is like a family to me and I hope you will make them yours.”
Our Mission
The EKU NOVA program is a Student Support
Services TRiO project, receiving $321,329 in federal
funds from the U.S. Department of Education for the
2006/07 fiscal year to serve 206 eligible EKU students.
The NOVA program at Eastern Kentucky
University is a student success project
providing instruction and individualized
support services empowering limited
income and first generation EKU
learners to persist and graduate.