The Perspectives That Divide Us - Rockhurst University

Roc k Re p o r t 4 4 4 4 4 4Program Preps High School Students for CollegeNearly two dozen local teens from low-incomefamilies are getting a step up in preparing forcollege through RU College Bound, Rockhurst'soutreach program designed to secure student success.Offered in partnership with Blue Hills Family LifeCenter, Operation Breakthrough and Hogan PrepAcademy, the 16-week program meets one night perweek to provide teens with access to the resources theyneed to complete high school and to prepare for college.Several Rockhurst students are helping to provide theteens with tutoring, mentoring, ACT preparation andassistance with selecting and applying to colleges. Thestudents are meeting one-on-one with teens to help themset goals and learn about the college experience.“This program is important because it not only helpsencourage students to pursue a college education, but alsohelps them learn practical ways to succeed,” said AliciaDouglas, Rockhurst’s director of Community Relations.Tanequa Parker, an 11 th grader from Westport High School,studies ACT preparation materials with Rockhurst M.Ed.student Gina Parker, left.Sophomore Named Miss South SudanAyok Monydit hascome a long wayin her short 19years. She andher family escaped wartornSudan when she was9 to make a new life in theUnited States. Today she isa sophomore at Rockhurstand recently earned the titleMiss South Sudan 2007.As Miss South Sudan,Monydit will travel toconferences throughoutthe United States to discusscurrent issues in Sudan,especially women’s rights.In December, she will visither native land to bringawareness to women’srights there.Sophomore Ayok Monyditwill travel to conferencesthroughout the United States.Monydit hopes herexperience as Miss SouthSudan will help to empowergirls and women who facediscrimination.“The experience is notjust about the title, butwhat you do with the title,”said Monydit, who volunteerswith the SudaneseWomen’s EmpowermentNetwork. The organizationhelps support social andgender justice, human rightsand healthy communities.Monydit is a recipientof the Sieber scholarship,an award made possibleby John Sieber, ’56, forstudents who are highlymotivated and demonstratestrong leadership abilities.“The Sieber scholarshipis one of those rare giftsyou happen to stumbleupon,” she said. “Withoutfinancial aid, I would nothave been able to attendRockhurst. My family andI are so grateful to thosewho have given us so much.”An active participant inher church community,Monydit cooks, cleans andsometimes makes tea forthe women there. Aroundcampus, you might see herstudying in the biology lab,hanging out in McGee Hallor occasionally wearing traditionalAfrican clothing toclass. Monydit is majoringin biology and psychology,and she plans to attendgraduate school.6 Ro c k h u r s t4w i n t e r 2007