Students from five Miami-Dade County public high schools received a firsthand look at the process of admissions and financial resources as part of the FIU Business College and Career Readiness initiative.
The one-day visit, which included a tour of FIU Business and the university’s Modesto Maidique Campus, brought the students outside of the traditional classroom, delivering important lessons in a way that kept them increasingly attentive and inspired.
“It allows them to get all the information they need in a digestible manner, not be overwhelmed by someone they see all the time,” said Kala Jones, College Assistance Program advisor at Miami Northwestern Senior High School. “It’s a more relaxed pace where they’re learning and meeting people.”
The students, who came from Booker T. Washington Senior High School, Homestead Senior School, Miami Jackson Senior High School, Miami Northwestern Senior High School, and Miami Senior High School, participated in the November 17 event, which focused on admissions and financial aid resources.
“The goal is to increase students’ opportunity to attend college, to give them insight on the application process and learn about the resources available to them,” said Richard Klein, associate dean of the Landon Undergraduate School at FIU Business. “We can get them started on the right track.”
One of the presentations focused on the Golden Scholars program, an admissions pathway for under-represented students with priority for first-generation students, and initiatives focused on student access and success.
“The hallmark of FIU is accessibility,” Klein said. “It shouldn’t be out of reach for any student.”
The event was organized by Angela Bullard, associate director of the Office of Academic Advising at the College of Business, in partnership with Veritza Kostovski, director of the SmartPath at The Education Fund in Miami.
Bullard noted that FIU Business offers many opportunities that speak to students’ needs. Veritza Kostovski from the Education fund
Students participated in a conversation on careers and how to be successful. Also in the mix: advice on life skills and the college experience.
Replaying a scene from the “Ted Lasso” TV show, John Nykolaiszyn, director of business career services at FIU Business, urged the students to be curious, not judgmental, and to ask questions, such as, “How can I use this information to my advantage to beat my competition?” “Who’s making the money off of this deal?”
Ultimately, Nykolaiszyn told the students, each one will have to work harder than everybody else to reach his or her goals.
“You are the only one responsible for your success,” he added. “If you never know failure you will never know success.”
