#futurehusky

ACE Program receives support from PPL Electric

BLOOMSBURG—Bloomsburg University’s Advanced College Experience (ACE) program received a $15,000 Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) grant from PPL Electric Utilities to assist students with attending the program.

The Bloomsburg University ACE program is for high school students to earn credits towards their bachelor’s degree, explore college majors, build their resume, use the courses as dual enrollment, thus fulfilling their high school requirements, as well as reducing the total cost of their college education. Students must be recommended by their high school to enroll in the program. Students enrolled in the program take general education courses that an incoming freshman would take. Tuition and fees for the students are reduced by 75 percent. In the Fall 2020 semester, BU’s ACE program which began in 2003, had 300 students enrolled, many of them full-time. The ACE program has seen steady growth going from 110 students in 2015 to 300 in 2020.

“Bloomsburg University appreciates the support of PPL Electric for our ACE Program,” said Tom Fletcher, vice president for Student Success and Enrollment Services. “The ACE program has allowed high school students to get a head start on college, while still enrolled in high school. It has been a big cost savings for their families. It also helps with the transition from high school to college, and provides BU the opportunity to attract and retain more regional students who matriculate to Bloomsburg following high school graduation.  Our goal is to expand the program and support from PPL will assist with that effort.”

Bloomsburg University signs memorandum of understanding with Milton Hershey School

HERSHEY — Bloomsburg University (BU) and the Milton Hershey School (MHS) have signed a memorandum of understanding that will provide focused and sustained support to low-income, first-generation college students from MHS so they can persist and graduate with a degree.

As part of the memorandum, the admissions team at BU will work with MHS to develop and accommodate MHS visits, open houses or weekend recruitment events, designed to invite MHS students to explore the many opportunities BU has to offer. BU will waive the $35 application fee for any student from Milton Hershey applying to the university as a full-time, degree-seeking student. There are currently 20 MHS graduates attending BU with 11 more accepted for the Fall 2020 semester.  

“We’re excited to partner with the Milton Hershey School to provide opportunities for its students to matriculate to Bloomsburg University,” said BU President Bashar W. Hanna. “This program helps BU fulfill its mission of educating the residents of the Commonwealth, and it allows us the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of these hard-working first-generation students. As a ‘first-gen’ myself, I know firsthand the value of a college degree and its extraordinary impact on the student, his or her family, and their future.”

Milton Hershey team wins Husky Dog Pound business competition 

“Many MHS graduates are first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds. Bloomsburg University has measures in place so they can achieve their goals in the classroom and in life,” said Milton Hershey School Vice President of Graduate Programs for Success Tanya Baynham. “This partnership ensures that supports are available to help students ultimately persist through the academic, social, and financial challenges that they may face on their postsecondary journey.”

BU offers the chance for MHS alumni to participate in its Jump Start Program, an intensive two-week session focuses on college readiness and provides the opportunity to get acclimated to the Bloomsburg University Community. Getting a great start as a first-year student helps to ensure they will have the skills needed to be academically and socially engaged in the community, to understand the resources available to keep them focused on graduating in four years. Enrollment in Jump Start is free.  Students in the Jump Start Program will be transitioned into the Emerging Scholars Program at the beginning of the Fall Semester or the student’s first semester at Bloomsburg University.

The Emerging Scholars Program (ESP) is a comprehensive academic support program targeting first-generation students BU students who are demonstrating risk factors that will increase the likelihood of not completing a four-year college degree. ESP aims to cultivate core strengths in areas of academic self-confidence, community engagement, life skills and self-advocacy.

For its part, the Milton Hershey School will support the recruitment of MHS students to Bloomsburg University; provide opportunities for BU representatives to meet with MHS students; both potential applicants and those who have applied; assist with the design of programming and implementation of success programs when possible; and include BU information in published (digital and print) media related to guidebooks, catalogs, etc.

Criminal justice program ranked seventh in the state

Bloomsburg University’s criminal justice program is ranked seventh in Pennsylvania by Zippia, a job-/career-seeking website — up from 10th a year ago.

Zippia’s looked at the data on the institutions of higher learning in Pennsylvania to determine which programs offer the best career opportunities for criminal justice majors.

The website looked at the following data from the NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) and College Scorecard data from ED.gov to understand what Criminal Justice programs offer the best career opportunities:

Career Results

Criminal Justice Emphasis

Percentage of Graduating Class that are Criminal Justice Majors

Admissions Rate (More selective the better)

Graduation Rate

Average Cost Of Attendance (Lower is better)

Median amount of debt

School Performance

Mean Earnings after 6 Years

Mean Earnings after 10 Years

Ratio of people working to not working after 10 years