Initiative will bring Bronx high school students to Vassar

Brian Farkas News Editor

A partnership between Vassar College and the Columbus Institute for Math and Science (CIMS) is marking its fourth anniversary with an initiative to introduce inner-city students to the possibility of higher education and bring the entire freshman class of CIMS to Vassar.

CIMS is a small school focusing on math and science within the larger Christopher Columbus High School, which is ranked as one of the top 10 most dangerous schools in New York City.

The Vassar-CIMS partnership began in 2003 and is supported through the Vassar College Urban Education Initiative (VCUEI), established by the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation. A philanthropic institution administrated by Mellon Bank N.A. and SunTrust Banks, Inc., the Foundation aids programs specializing in “private higher education, secondary education, graduate theological education, health care and public television.”

VCUEI is co-chaired by Director of Urban Education Initiative Lauren Weinstein and Chair of the Education Department Chris Roellke, who was recently selected as the next Dean of Studies.

According to Weinstein, programs such as these are crucial, because a college education “is becoming increasingly required and expected in the job market.” Applicants from low-income backgrounds may not have ready access to critical information about the college-application process, such as when to take standardized tests or how to write successful admission essays. “One of the primary goals of the VCUEI is to provide the necessary college prep tools and resources to students to whom access was previously not available,” said Weinstein.

One feature of the program sends two Vassar chemistry professors to visit CIMS and give demonstrations to students. Associate Professors of Chemistry Christopher Smart and Stuart Belli make regular trips to the Bronx school.

“We visit a ninth grade class and do a series of chemical demonstrations that make the kids think about how to further investigate what’s going on,” said Smart. “This precipitates a discussion about how science, particularly lab work and research, is done at the college level.” According to Belli, the two professors had “done many school visits like this before, but mostly in local schools.” Their next trip is slated for early March.

“For the most part, college just isn’t a part of the picture of their future for a mix of reasons, including tough family situations, lack of role models, no resources, and lack of support at school,” said Smart. “Our program gives them a glimpse of what science is like at the college level, and also to give them the idea that they should consider college.”

The Office of Admissions has been involved with the partnership in the past, but according to Weinstein, “Their participation this year has been extraordinary.” Admissions officers visited CIMS to discuss the college admissions process.

Although the Office of Admissions participates in the program, CIMS students do not have any competitive advantage in being admitted to Vassar. Rather, the purpose of the partnership is to provide the students with “the opportunity to gain an awareness of the necessary college prep information, tools, and resources that so many are privileged with from a very young age,” said Weinstein.

Last year, Vassar officials introduced the College Awareness Partnership Scholars (CAPS), an online mentoring program for CIMS freshmen students. This year the CAPS program has expanded to provide an online mentor not only for participating CIMS students, but also for their parents and families.

“Thirty-eight Vassar students have been accepted to the program as CAPS mentors and serve as a ‘college contact’ for these families,” said Weinstein. These mentors guide freshmen through college exploration, resumé drafting, and other future-planning projects.

Also planned for this year is a chance for the entire freshman class to visit Vassar in April. “Most of these kids have never been on a college campus before,” noted Smart. The CIMS students will come up to Vassar and do a series of activities, including a visit to Mudd Chemistry Building, where Smart and Belli will take them through several lab procedures.

“They measure the heat of combustion of peanuts and popcorn, and [perform] fairly accurate calculations,” said Smart. “We also do an activity with them before they leave where we make liquid nitrogen ice cream, which they love.”

During their visit, they will spend some time in the chemistry lab. They will also receive a tour of the Vassar Farm by Director of the Exploring Science at Vassar Farm program Lynn Capozzoli, and a tour and information session by the Office of Admissions.