UWRF UB Newsletter
Jan./Feb. 2020
9th Cohort Parent Orientation
We welcome 20 new participants and their families into the program. The morning started with an icebreaker lead by senior KaBao Vang, reviewing the academic and summer programming, providing current senior perspectives, and answering questions. The families filled out the following handout to discuss educational planning and discussed responses within the group.
Family & Student Goals
Discuss within your family:
- What kind of education does your family (parents/siblings) currently have? Please list.
- What kid of education do you hope for your child to get? Why?
- How can you support your child to get this education? What actions can you do? What words of support can you provide?
List your goals: Students
- What do you want to do after high school?
- What steps can you take over the next 3 years to get to this goal?
- How can this program help you get there? What did you learn about this program that you will use as a resource?
We encourage you to followup within your own families to review these questions and remind yourself why you joined UB.
c/o 2019 Alumni Updates - Post 3 of 3 Part Series
Current Colleges Represented
Hamline University
Stanford University
UMN - Twin Cities
St. John's University
UMN - Duluth
St. Thomas
St. Cloud State University
What opportunities are offered at your college and the surrounding community?
- A lot of on and off campus activities and chances to explore.
- There are a lot of clubs and organizations where you can get involved. They have student services such as the writing center, tutor, etc. There are also volunteer opportunities for extra credits for certain classes in the community.
- Catalyzed - a program that gets involved with the community by trying to make a difference. One example that they are holding is going to Puerto Rico for 3 days to help them cope with the aftermath of a Hurricane disaster.
- Our school will give students grant, a discount card with many stores on it, and there's also a program called ACTC where you take classes from other universities and get your credits from there.
- There are literally SO MANY opportunities. In five weeks of being here, I have gotten involved with the FLI community center, Women's community center, started volunteering as a peer health educator at a high school in San Jose, started doing PAID research at a cardiology lab at the medical school, went rock climbing and camping (for free). For summers, we have a career center that connects us with internships and research across the country if we want. I'm honestly considering attending a summer seminar abroad this summer (which is also covered by financial aid), but we'll see. There's so much stuff it's kind of overwhelming, to be honest.
- Opportunities that are offered are scholarships that we could apply to study abroad, getting a chance to get a change of view being a international student. A lot of things are offered here at the UMN TC, varying from resources to job fairs/internships, career fairs, scholarship opportunities and more.
- It is diverse, Students only pay 1,000 per year. And there’s also scholarships for many students. If students GPA is 4.0 in college, they get a full ride in St. Thomas for the other two year. The school focuses on the class that needs to get done first.
- There are many opportunities. The opportunity that I found most usefully is that there is an optional meeting every week where all the departments would have people in your major come and talk to you and have fun with them.
- Organizations in the MC for any student group you want to be in
- There are so many actually. You can study abroad with a scholarship as well. So, many scholarships are offered to you as a student, you just have to find the right one. They also have a lot of research opportunities here on campus that you can really hands-on experiences. They offer volunteer opportunities as well as internships opportunities as well.
What do students do here for fun? Campus activities, clubs, events, etc.?
- A lot if clubs and hang out spaces.
- Some students like to play sports together, going out to eat, party...
- They play sports, join clubs such as Hamline University Programing Bored, Hamline Undergraduate Student Congress, Hmong Student Ass., and etc, and go to events that were by Hamline students at night.
- There are clubs, sports, gym, weight and cardio room, join campus activities, and attend to school events.
- There's actually a pretty big party culture here, but since I'm a STEM pre-med, I haven't had time to party since the first week. There's over 600 clubs on campus, and a lot of students get involved in things that they find fun that aren't their major, like acapella and other performing arts. I'm involved with the Creative Writing group, where I go once a week and work on writing stories, and we have showcases once a quarter where we share our work. Stanford also made sports events free for all students, so sometimes I catch a volleyball or football game with my friends. There's also a weekend program called Cardinal Nights that out on fun alcohol-free programming, like they will subsidize movie tickets or Haunted House tickets for us so people don't feel pressured to party.
- Students here like to go to events that different organizations host because there is free food and entertainment, so good deal. There are many clubs here varying from indoor to outdoor sports. There are also different communities or organizations you can join. Currently I am a part of APARC, a mentor/mentee program in which we get to form bonds/relationships with specifically someone so that you will get the most out of your experience here at the UMN TC.
- There’s are many clubs and activities and they are always going on. For me, I joined club soccer and club badminton too get to know more people.
- There are a lot of clubs and there is at least one theater shows every week. (And of course, there are also the parties every weekend)
- There's many places to eat out at! And mmay study places for you to study! There's always something going on and so if you choose to be involved, you can definitely be involved in MANY ways!
- Sport clubs intermurals KPB
- There is almost always an event that is happening here at the University of Minnesota. A lot of different clubs would host events that are almost always free to attend. Sports games also happen here as well, that you can attend on the weekend. The Rec and Wellness Center is free to students because it is already part of your tuition. There you can play basketball, squash, badminton, volleyball, and so much more. You can exercise there, as well as dance there. There so much you can do here at the U that I can't even name it all.
Did your college credits earned in high school transfer to college?
- Some of them did.
- Yes, my college credits I took in high did transfer.
- Yes, they did.
- Yes, I believe I had 20+ credits transferred.
- Yes, but only classes that I took AT a college campus, that had a direct match with a class here, and that didn't directly fill a graduation requirement (so like Biology didn't transfer because its an explicit requirement). (30 of my 90 total transferred)
- My college credits earned in high school did transfer to college as I took mostly CIS classes, those credits go through the U so it automatically transfers. But yes, my college credits from Saint Paul College credits that I took in high school did transfer as well but it just took longer for the transcript to process as it's from another college.
- Not in my school right now but when I transfer school it will transfer.
- Yes, surprisingly
- Yes!!!
- No
- Yes, all of my credits transfer. So, I came into the U with 61 credits already done, which is equivalent to how much a student in their junior year should have here.
What was the most impact/life-changing experience you had because you were a participant in the program.
- The senior retreat
- Getting the opportunity to meet new people and traveling
- Senior retreat
- The last day leaving the program at the airport during the summer because UB has helped and supported me alot throughout my four years of highschool. I didnt want to say goodbye to my second family. It impacted me because I realize how lucky I was to be in this program.
- I wouldn't have ended up at Stanford without Upward Bound. I wouldn't have known where to start when it came to becoming a competitive applicant for college. Upward Bound helped me become a stronger student with experiences that will help me in the future beyond undergrad.
- When I first came to Washington Tech. I didn't know as much people as I know now and was not very talkative. But ever since joining UB, it forced me to really talk to people through the activities and events we have and especially the summers because we are such a small group of people, we have to get out of our comfort zone and start meeting new people. UB has really helped me get out of my comfort zone shaping me into who I am today throughout the program.
- I think the college tour and college talk in the class room. Working on our resume and the help with homework.
- The summer trip. You get to get closer with the other Upward Bounders and also as a senior it feels nice how everyone look up to you.
- The summer program! They gave me the chance to explore different topics that I know I wouldn't take if it was my choice, but I'm very glad I got the chance to take them because of UB! As well as the chance to visit further colleges!
- The love and affection shown towards the students by the staff
- I think the whole program it self really impact my life.
Reminder: Academic Year Monthly Meetings | Save these Dates!
2020
- Feb. 25th, MM - depart from Wash @ 3:15 pm - RSVP here - https://forms.gle/Z7ZMZ6sQMk2G8qdG6
- Mar. 21st MM
- Apr. 25th MM - Student Leadership Conference
- May 16th, Senior Celebration
- May 23rd, MM
Spring 2020 - College Visits
Mar. 6; Friday - Mankato State University (RSVP - https://forms.gle/ipG4TLNy1ewv7acL6)
Mar. 31; Tuesday - University of Minnesota - Rochester and Mayo Clinic
Meet professionals from the Mayo Clinic
- provide feedback on which career fields here - https://forms.gle/wTvXzxd4ceGnJN657)
- RSVP for the visit here - https://forms.gle/WayPcjrN3tE7tLaQ6
Sophomore Programming
Mar. 4 - 8
Soph. ACT Series; Fridays 3 - 5 pm; Wash 2250
Pre-test Date: Feb. 29
Workshop Dates: Mar. 13, 20, 27; Apr. 10, 17, 24
Post-test Date: May 9
Highlight: January Birthdays!
Bao Vang - Jan. 31
Abdikarin Mohamed - Jan. 1
Alee Xiong - Jan. 19
Hoda Hassen - Jan. 1
Ohn Aung - Jan. 18
Eh Per Moo - Jan. 5
February Birthdays to Come & Celebrate
Kachsia Vue - Feb. 20
Find us @
Washington Technology Magnet: 2nd Floor Office, Room 2642
Email: ub@uwrf.edu | uwrf.ub@gmail.com