By Taki S. Raton

As part of a joint association between the 100 Black Men of America’s Chicago and Milwaukee chapters, Milwaukee again is very proud to be invited for this the fourth year to the annual Honors Student Reception (HSR) held in Chicago, Illinois on Friday, October 12, 2012 at the UIC Forum on the campus of the University of Illinois.

Sponsored by the Chicago Chapter of 100 Black Men, the HSR is an annual event for Chicago area African American seniors to interface with representatives from over 45 colleges and universities from around the country to explore admissions and scholarship opportunities.

This will be the fourth year since 2009 that Milwaukee has been granted the opportunity to attend and the third consecutive occasion since 2010 that African American seniors from Madison, Beloit, and Kenosha have been included on the invitational roster. The Milwaukee and state selectees are the only students outside of Illinois collectively who have been invited to this annual affair.

The selection criteria for African American seniors to the HSR are a minimum 3.3 GPA and a 23 cum or above score on the ACT. Seniors are additionally asked to prepare an assembled personal portfolio with grades, transcripts, two letters of recommendation, a completed common or specific college application and a personalized writing sample essay and a resume. The essay could be on any topic to include why they may want to attend college and their major and professional career plans.

Wisconsin seniors will be numbered with upwards of over 200 students from the Chicago area to meet and interact with college and university representatives from around the country, many of which are of Ivy League status. A sampling of the 45 colleges and universities that attend the reception include Morehouse College, Notre Dame University, Carleton College, Dartmouth College, Illinois Institute of Technology, University of Minnesota, Wellesley College, Spelman College, University of Pennsylvania, Hampton University, US Air Force Academy, Vanderbilt University, American University, Chicago State College, Hampton University, US Army ROTC/West Point, P:rinceton University, University of Michigan, Chicago State University, and Howard University.

Under the sponsorship of the Milwaukee Chapter “100,” this year as in the previous three, a send-off reception will be held October 12 at the African American Women’s Center, 3020 West Vliet Street. A brief congratulatory program is planned to include food, refreshments and congratulatory comments by invited community stakeholders.

This combined co-association between the Chicago and Milwaukee 100 Black Men chapters have provided the opportunity over these past three years to identify a grand total of 75 Wisconsin students who successfully met the 3.3 GPA and 23 minimum ACT cum score for selection to this annual invitational. Out of the 75 students, 49 from Milwaukee, Kenosha, Beloit, and Madison have actually attended from 2009 through 2011.

“This has honestly been a great opportunity for me,” said then senior Nikki Grant who attended the HSR from Riverside High School. As quoted in an October 27, 2011 published account of Milwaukee’s participation in the HSR, she adds that, “I have attended college fairs prior to this event. But none like the Honors Student Reception tonight. Although I entered the evening a little intimidated and apprehensive, I was completely comfortable after conversing with an admission counselor or two. I do not regret taking advantage of this invitation and I am certainly grateful for this experience.”

“I would advise every senior to strive for the privilege to attend the HSR,” said Marshauun Hall who was a senior last year from Madison West High School, “I thoroughly appreciated the opportunity to speak with these college representatives. Each school rep was able to offer information not found on a website. Not only was I given valuable information concerning scholarships, admission and important deadlines, I was also able to familiarize myself with the type of people and atmosphere each school offered. This was a very valuable experience.”

Tracy A. Carson, mother of then Messmer senior Ebony Carson who accompanied her daughter last year to the HSR thanked the organizers for the opportunity and this experience. “My daughter was able to meet with administrators and staff from some of the country’s top colleges and universities and acquire much needed information to help in her college search. We enjoyed every aspect of the event to include the meet-andgreet at Milwaukee’s African American Women’s Center. Every part from the beginning was very well organized and I might add that the food in Chicago was just simply delicious. All I can say is that 100 Black Men did their thing and I know that we are off to a great start for college.”

For additional information on this year’s 100 Black Men 2012 Honors Student Reception, please direct inquires to this writer at blydendelany@yahoo.com.

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