By Taki S. Raton
Milwaukee again is very proud to be invited for this the fifth year to the annual Honors Student Reception (HSR) held in Chicago, Illinois on Friday, October 11, 2013 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 fifth year since the premier 2009 invitational that Milwaukee has been granted the opportunity to attend and the fourth 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 criterion for African American seniors to the HSR is 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.
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, Princeton University, University of Michigan, Chicago State University, and Howard University.
The sponsorship this year for Milwaukee and area district invitees is Family House, a residential long term care facility that has served the Milwaukee community now for 26 years.
Located at 3269 North 11th Street, Family House services men and women in a home like setting who are 55-years or older.
As of 2012, a total of 88 students from Milwaukee, Kenosha, Beloit, and Madison have been identified to have met the 3.3 minimum and 23 cum or above on the ACT for a HSR initiation. During this four year period from 2009 to 2012, 62 students have actually attended.
“This event gave me the chance to actually meet and speak with representatives from colleges and universities that I had only seen and reviewed online,” said Beverly Alomepe, a then senior last year at Milwaukee School of Languages who attended the 2012 HSR.
“It also gave me a chance to ask question that I have always wanted to ask of specific campuses in which I was interested. Overall, it was an awakening experience and I am very glad I attended,” she adds.
Tracy A. Carson, mother of the Messmer senior Ebony Carson who accompanied her daughter to the 2012 HSR invitational 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.
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.”
“I would advise every senior to strive for the privilege to attend the HSR,” said Marshauun Hall who was a 2011 senior 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.”
For additional information on this year’s 100 Black Men 2012 Honors Student Reception, please direct inquires to this writer at blydendelany@yahoo.com.
