The Mills College chapter of the National Society for Collegiate Scholars is using this academic year to affect a much needed change in the local community.
At its latest meeting on Sept. 7, the Mills College chapter of the NSCS discussed its plans to focus on two overarching themes this school year: community involvement and educational awareness.
The Mills College chapter of NSCS is particularly focused on incorporating Oakland youth into the national society’s PACE (Planning to Achieve Collegiate Excellence) program. The program is designed to help students graduate from high school and attend college.
Terrylynn Cantlon, the vice president of the PACE program for the Mills NSCS chapter, in conjunction with the Phi Alpha Delta chapter at Mills, has organized an event inviting students from local schools to visit the Mills campus.
These students are members of the BUILD program, which facilitates entrepreneurial experiences for youth in under-resourced communities by helping them develop and sell their own products. On Oct. 19, BUILD students will be attending Mills College to pitch their products and to learn more about the college experience.
The Mills College chapter of NSCS is also planning to hold its own March to College Day, an event started by the society in order to educate youth about the opportunities they will have if they choose to go to college. The event will take place on March 27 of next spring.
In order to prepare for this big event, the Mills chapter of NSCS is asking for volunteers from any corner of the Mills community. By bringing together the entire college, the NSCS chapter at Mills hopes to provide a cohesive and true representation of the college experience for those students attending
the event.
In order to better serve the Mills community, the NSCS chapter on campus is also planning to help sponsor events on campus, such as music recitals and community service projects.
“We do have a lot going on on campus,” said Ziyong Lin, President of the Mills College NSCS chapter. “But not a lot of students attend. Our main purpose is to encourage people to get involved.”
The chapter plans on introducing a $50 scholarship for community service/participation. The award would go to the Mills student who has spent the most time at college and community events. Lin and the rest of the Mills NSCS chapter hope that this scholarship will be an incentive for members of the Mills community to participate in local events and projects.
If you wish to learn more about the Mills College NSCS chapter, or the events it is planning, please visit the website or contact Ziyong Lin at zlin@mills.edu.
– Lauren Marie-Sliter
Vice President of Public Relation
Mills College NSCS Chapter
