The Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education is excited to announce that Sierra Kraynak recently joined the Institute as the director of the Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC). Kraynak brings a deep commitment to expanding educational opportunities and a strong background in student-centered program leadership to this role. “I’m thrilled to join UGA as GCAC’s […]
News
Archive for the ‘Georgia College Advising Corps’ Category
Sierra Kraynak Joins McBee Institute as GCAC Program Director
Yuhouse Named GCAC Director
Alyssa Yuhouse joins the McBee Institute of Higher Education as the director of the Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC) on January 16, 2024. As a former GCAC adviser and training coordinator, Yuhouse will bring an impressive range of experiences into this role. After serving as an adviser with GCAC, Yuhouse was a higher education policy […]
Decision Day Celebrations
By Glenda Dowdy For the Georgia College Advisers, the month of May is a time for reflection, and a wrap up period of the 2022-2023 school year. Every year one special event allows the advisers to celebrate the strides they have made with their students. This event is Decision Day. Decision Day, also known widely […]
College Adviser Wins Faculty Award
by Emaleigh Fleeman After graduating from the University of Georgia in 2022, Gabriel Smallwood joined GCAC to serve as a college adviser at Clarke Central High School in Athens. Building off the skills he learned in college, Gabriel has spent the school year creating trusting relationships with the seniors. To date, he has met with […]
Advisers Explore SkillsUSA Expo
by Abigail Poirier On March 10 the Georgia College Advising Corps advisers had the opportunity to attend the Skills USA Expo and Competition at the Georgia World Congress Center. The Expo offered advisers the chance to learn more about technical college programs in Georgia and career options for their students. The event also brought together […]
GCAC Invites More Faculty and Student Involvement
Brook Thompson, program director of the Georgia College Advising Corps, and Azariah Partridge, adviser at Cedar Shoals High School, provided an overview of the goals and successes of the advising program’s work at a special session for the McBee Institute faculty and students. GCAC is a nationally recognized outreach program that works in underserved high […]
GCAC Advisers Help Students Find the Best Fit
by Emaleigh Fleeman GCAC advisers are well versed in the various institution types, and make sure students are aware of all options before making post-secondary plans. Several advisers who serve in our partner schools have recently held events to ensure students are exposed to multiple institution types, and the unique opportunities they offer. Last month, […]
Advisers Lead Workshops at National Conference
by Abby Poirier Last week, the GCAC advisers attended the 2023 College Advising Corps Adviser Assembly titled Celebrating Our Impact and Embracing Our Future. Held every year, the event brings together over 1,000 college advisers, university program partners, alumni, and donors to connect with one another while attending keynote sessions, informative adviser-led workshops, and professional […]
GCAC Apply-to-College Month Initiatives
by Emaleigh Fleeman Since 2008, November has been recognized as Apply to College Month in Georgia. Many colleges in the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia participate by waiving application fees throughout the month of November. College advisers prepare for this initiative by partnering with counseling staff, teachers, colleges, and […]
FAFSA Fests Raise Awareness in High Schools
by Abby Poirier The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened on October 1st, which presented a new opportunity for advisers to kick off financial aid efforts and motivate their students to submit the FAFSA. Throughout the month advisers have spent time educating students and their families about filling out the FAFSA and applying […]
Advisers Learn from Experts during Training
by Shellby Branch On September 14th and 15th, the college advisors came together at the University of Georgia’s student union for two days of training. College advisor Kelsey Albertini finds in-service trainings meaningful because, “[they] help me prepare to advise those students that may need extra support and allow me to gather information and resources […]
Adviser Makes Impact Early at Heritage High School
by Emaleigh Fleeman All across the state of Georgia, school is back in session. Georgia College Advising Corps welcomed fifteen new advisers this school year to assist high school seniors with their post-secondary plans. While high school students enjoy the summer off, college advisers worked hard to prepare for the upcoming school year through a […]
Thompson Featured in UGA Today for Work at GCAC
by Jewel Caruso Brook Thompson, program director of the Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC), was recently recognized in an article by UGA Today. Her dedication to professional advocacy for education equity was highlighted in the article: “Whether training English teachers in Mexico or training the next generation of college advisers, Thompson has committed herself to […]
Giving High School Juniors a JUMP on College Planning
by Renni Turpin With spring break behind us, Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC) advisers are planning elaborate decision day events to celebrate seniors’ post-secondary plans. GCAC advisers are also beginning to focus their attention on juniors. Starting the college planning process in the junior year is critical, with early scholarship and college applications coming up […]
What Does a Georgia College Advising Corps Adviser Do?
by Renni Turpin Well into the spring semester, many college seniors are looking for their next opportunity. The Georgia College Advising Corps is actively recruiting for open college adviser positions which will begin July 2022. One of the questions most frequently asked by applicants is: What does a typical day look like? This question is […]
GCAC Advisers Boost FAFSA Completion Rates
by Renni Turpin Four months into “FAFSA season,” Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC) college advisers work hard to motivate and support seniors to submit their financial aid forms. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is critical for college enrollment and is the gateway for federal and state grants, work-study, and federally backed student […]
Happy New Year from The Georgia College Advising Corps!
by Brionna Johnson The University of Georgia’s College Advising Corps is proud to announce our program’s expansion into the Newton County school system in Covington, GA. With support from the Newton County School District, we are placing three new college advisers at Alcovy High School, Eastside High School, and Newton High School to begin their […]
Strong Numbers Show GCAC Impact in 2021
by Renni Turpin Over the last semester, GCAC schools and advisers have acclimated to the “new normal,” though complications of the pandemic linger. Invigorated by in-person classes, GCAC advisers are meeting with students face-to-face, finding students as they walk to class, and building a college-going culture throughout the school. To date, GCAC advisers have met […]
GCAC Advisers Engage Students at First-Gen Events
by Brionna Johnson November 8th marked the fifth annual First-Generation College Celebration, a nationally recognized event created to acknowledge the accomplishments of first-generation college students and graduates. In observance, a number of the Georgia College Advising Corps advisers planned events to engage the students, faculty, and staff at their school sites in the celebration and […]
GCAC Invites Research and Mentoring Partnerships
Brook Thompson and Brionna Johnson led an information session about the Georgia College Advising Corps to members of the McBee Institute community. GCAC began at the Institute in 2009 and works in underserved high schools throughout Georgia to increase the number of low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students who attend and complete higher education. The program […]
Advisers Demystify FAFSA for Students
by Renni Turpin In the world of college admissions, October 1st means one thing: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is open. For most college-bound students, the FAFSA is the most important financial aid form, allowing students to access federal grants, work-study, loans, and institutional aid. GCAC Adviser Isis Owusu said, “FAFSA completion […]
GCAC Advisers Celebrate National HBCU Week
by Brionna Johnson Following President Joe Biden’s proclamation declaring September 5th through 11th National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week, several Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC) advisers sprang into action and quickly prepared for celebrations at their school sites. The events were particularly robust in Rockdale County Schools, where GCAC Advisers worked closely with school […]
GCAC Advisers Launch into Schools
As summer transitions to autumn, the excitement of going back to school is palpable for students, families, school staff, and the advisers of the Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC). On August 2nd, GCAC advisers entered their school sites, ready to assist students and families at seventeen high schools across Georgia with navigating post-secondary applications. The […]
GCAC Advisers Freeze Summer Melt
by Brionna Johnson Now more than ever, the Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC) team is focused on increasing the number of low-income, first-generation college-going, and historically underrepresented students who enter and complete higher education. In a typical semester, students experience summer melt where despite planning to attend college after graduation, they do not end up […]
Former GCAC Adviser Continues Commitment
After completing her first year as a Master’s student at the Institute, Brionna Johnson is continuing her graduate assistant duties with the Georgia College Advising Corps (GCAC) into the summer as a training coordinator. She is excited to work with the advisers this summer, especially after engaging with her coursework this past semester. “In Dr. […]
Porter Featured in Advising Corps Blog
Bradford Porter loves working with young people. His genuine enthusiasm and empathy created some amazing results at the two high schools he served as part of the Georgia College Advising Corps. The College Advising Corps featured Porter in a blog post this spring. Through a year marked with virtual learning amid a deadly pandemic, Porter […]
UPrep Offers Guide from High School to Higher Ed
The adage that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” might feel very real to high school students preparing for their path to college, particularly navigating the college admission process and financial aid applications. The anxiety and uncertainty of how to begin can make that first step difficult or insurmountable without […]