The campus visit was organized primarily for girls transitioning from middle to high school so that they would know how to best position themselves in high school for admission to college and for them to get an inside view of college life.

Sarah Posner, a SisterMentors' volunteer, worked tirelessly to make the event a success. Amanda Pike of Whole Foods Market in Virginia donated breakfast so that the girls would have a healthy start that day. Cyndi Harsley, also of Whole Foods Market, coordinated the donation.

The girls ate breakfast on the bus as we made our way to the university. We fully realized the importance of offering breakfast when one of the girls said that she was hungry as we were about to board the bus for the trip.

Dr. Chontrese Doswell, at the College Park campus, organized the program for the day. Dr. Doswell was a gracious host and took time off from her busy schedule to spend the day with the girls.

The girls' morning session included workshops by an admissions' officer and financial aid officers. The admissions' officer informed the girls of what they should start doing right now to get into college. She also advised them on the kinds of courses they need to take when they get to high school. She praised them for starting the process early with their visit to the campus. The financial aid officers informed the girls of the overall cost of college and where to research scholarships and other monies.

Women of color undergraduates took the girls to class with them. Some girls went to a small seminar business class while others went to a large Sociology class held in a lecture hall. The girls also visited dormitories and apartments on campus to see how students and their roommates live.

After lunch at the Student Union, the girls were treated to an afternoon dialogue session with women of color undergraduates. The women, who were in their sophomore and senior years, described their transition from high school to college. One of the women shared that she had a very difficult time adjusting to the lack of structure and failed many of her classes her first semester. She then talked about how she bounced back by learning how to better manage her time.

The women also shared their experiences as women of color on a predominantly white campus. They talked about having to explain their race or ethnicity to fellow students some of whom had stereotypical views of people of color based on rap music and television. One of the women told the girls that it is important for them to know themselves and their culture since they may have to defend both while in college. She advised them to take courses on people of color and women when they get to college.

The girls listened in rapt attention to the women and hands shot up constantly to ask questions and make comments. In their evaluation of the day, the girls rated highest the dialogue session with the women of color undergraduates.

As we were leaving the campus, one of the girls said that she had not wanted to come on the trip because she thought it would be boring. She was glad she came, she added, because she really enjoyed the day.

In our follow-up session soon after the visit, some of the girls said that they had not thought of going to college nor had anyone talked to them about college. However, their experience on campus made them now want to go. After the visit, one girl had even looked up several colleges on the internet, as the admissions' officer had advised them to do.

The girls suggested that we visit another college campus since they had learned so much and had such a good time during the visit.

Shireen K. Lewis, J.D., Ph.D., Executive Director