Bottom Line

Dear Friends and Supporters of Bottom Line,

Each month we will be profiling a new Bottom Line alumni.  Meet Hung Le, on his way to become a physical therapist!

          Hung Le is currently a graduate student at MGH Institute of Health Professions (Class of 2014) and has his B.S. In Exercise Physiology at UMass Lowell. His goal is to work as a Physical Therapist after graduation. He originally came from Vietnam when he was fifteen and has been in America for 10 years.  He enjoys playing many sports. However, he enjoys playing soccer the most. His plan is to finish his education and stay close to his friends and family in Boston.

High School: Madison Park

College: UMass Lowell

Graduation Year: 2011

Job: Physical Therapy School at MGH

Bottom Line Memory: My counselor Miguel used to come and visit me at my dorm- I remember having to run around and get rid of all my clothes and dishes just so he’d have a place to sit!

If I could send a care package, I’d fill it with: Coffee mugs and lots of candy!

Why I stay involved with Bottom Line: Miguel and Bottom Line have supported me to continue my education and I want to give back. I went to UMass Amherst for 1.5 years and decided to transfer-  I wanted to my closer to my family and UMass Lowell had my major-  Miguel supported me through all of it.  I’m participating in the 2012 Rodman Ride for Kids and fundraising for Bottom Line. I enjoy biking, but I haven’t done it a lot.  I’d really like to volunteer at other events.

 People would be surprised to learn that I used to: be very very shy and quiet during high school.  I didn’t think I’d survive in college!

The BEST part of being a college graduate is:  Moving on after college and looking to continue my education.

The HARDEST part about being a college graduate is: I have so many responsibilities now.  With my career, for example.  I’ve had to really develop critical thinking and time management skills.  Bottom Line really helped me to be successful throughout the years. 

Support Hung Le and Bottom Line in the Rodman Ride for Kids. Donate to Hung’s page here>>

 Want to share a memory or say hi to Hung Le?  Write a comment on this blog post!

Want to be profiled in next month’s Alumni newsletter and on the blog? Email Jen at JScherck@bottomline.org

On August 14 and 15, hundreds of students in Bottom Line’s Success Program celebrated the beginning of their college careers at Success Send-Off events in Worcester and Boston. On the 14th, 75 Worcester students gathered at Hanover Insurance’s national headquarters to get to know their new college classmates and participate in team-building exercises. On the 15th, over 200 Boston students converged on Hill Holiday’s high-rise offices for a night of celebration and reflection.

Two future Framinham State Alumnae

At the Boston Send-Off, Robert Lewis, Jr., Vice President for Program with The Boston Foundation, gave a rousing speech encouraging students to live up their potential and to work with their Success Counselors.

“Knowing that you have someone from Bottom Line here, knowing that you’re coming here with other great students that are your support network…the shot you have to succeed is great,” said Mr. Lewis.

At the Worcester Send-Off, Yuisa Peréz Chionchio, Advanced Placement Coordinator for Worcester Public Schools and member of Bottom Line Worcester’s Advisory Board, stressed how college can help students become America’s future leaders.

Students left the Send-Offs energized and hopeful. And, when they need support, as Mr. Lewis reminded students, “Bottom Line is only a phone call away.”

See video of Robert Lewis’ speech>>

See video of Yuisa Perez Chionchio’s speech>>

Students who plan to attend one of 20 popular Massachusetts colleges are invited to join our Success program and participate in summer transition programming. This June and July, several hundred students attended 7 training camps in Boston and Worcester. Rising freshmen participated in teambuilding activities and learned useful college survival skills like planning their course-load, navigating a syllabus and engaging in college classes.

Students appreciated learning insider knowledge from counselors. An incoming Boston University student remarked, “I learned that financial aid isn’t always provided for summer classes.” After completing the time-management workshop, a student noted, “[in college], opportunities are constantly thrown at you and it’s better to plan your schedule ahead of time.” Most importantly, students left prepared to tackle their first few days of classes with confidence: “There are so many resources on campus!”

What college survival skills do you wish you had as a first-year college student?

Earlier this month, students, staff, volunteers, supporters, and corporate and community leaders gathered at The Westin Copley Place Hotel in Boston to celebrate 15 years of helping students get into college, graduate from college, and go far in life. College students Yaritza Peña, Melissa Peña, Julie Rorie, and Joe Rowell spoke of the challenges that they have overcome to succeed in college and their experiences growing up in Boston and participating in Bottom Line. Bentley University President Gloria Larson reminded us of the need for a college-educated workforce and the benefits of providing services to students on campus. The event also honored USA Funds CEO Carl Dalstrom for his ongoing commitment to low-income and first-generation students; Senior Vice President of Access and Outreach Bob Ballard accepted an award on Dalstrom’s behalf. Because of the generous support from the attendees and sponsors, $550,000+ was raised to help low-income and first-generation students complete a college degree. Thank you to everyone who continues to provide students from our community with the guidance they need to reach their full potential.

As part of the event’s programming, we presented this video, which shares some students’ thoughts and experiences about college and Bottom Line.

Every year, Bottom Line hosts the Go Far Forum, the premier career event for our Massachusetts college students. With close to 130 volunteers, over 20 employers, and hundreds of students in attendance at the Westin Copley Place Hotel, this year’s event was a big success.  Attendees took part in mock interviews, a career fair, workshops, and a networking social that helped students build job searching skills and make connections.

Career Conversations, a key piece of the event, helped students who wanted information about different career paths. Volunteers who work in fields such as Health Care, Political Science, and Business responded to students’ questions: Why did you choose your major? What was your career path?  What advice do you have for me as I choose my major?  Through these conversations, students were not only able to make informed career decisions, but also further build their communication skills, an essential part of the transition from a student to a young professional. One volunteer said, “ The participants were articulate, bright, excellent people. Their questions were well thought out and I enjoyed talking to all of them.”

Most importantly, the Go Far Forum provided hundreds of students from Boston and Worcester with the support, advice, and opportunities they need to succeed in the job market after graduation. One student said, “I learned a lot from the Go Far Forum, especially from the mock interviews and the career conversations. I am glad I attended.”

Thank you to all the volunteers who made this event possible.

Victoria Sargent
Career Coordinator

DaVante Bonneau was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. He graduated from the Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice in 2011. He lives with his mom and younger sister, who are both very supportive of his goal to gain a higher education. DaVante is currently in his first year at CUNY’s New York City College of Technology (a.k.a. City Tech), which is located in Downtown Brooklyn near Bottom Line’s office. DaVante is interested in many fields, but is considering majoring in Anthropology.

DaVante has always been excited about going to college, so he was thrilled to be offered admission to City Tech. He says that it’s very motivating to be going through this experience with his friends from high school, who go to college throughout New York City and the state. His friends talk about how no one wants to be the one who doesn’t graduate on time, so DaVante makes sure to stay on top of his classes and reading assignments (something different from high school!). With that in mind, he is grateful for the support he’s gotten from Bottom Line’s New York staff so far. He says, “I would be more nervous and wouldn’t really have anyone to help me through questions I have.” DaVante especially appreciates the advice he received about how to save money by renting, as opposed to buying, textbooks for his classes.

During breaks, DaVante and his friends often come to Bottom Line’s office to study, work on projects, or just hang out and eat lunch. After only a few months, DaVante already considers Bottom Line’s New York office his “second home.”

Last Wednesday, 100 guests joined us at Mechanics Hall in Worcester for our third annual Get In, Graduate, and Go Far Reception. Now in our fourth year of operation in Worcester, Bottom Line has continued to grow and expand: we serve 150 high school students and 165 college students locally. On Wednesday, we were lucky enough to hear the stories of two of those students, Crismel Calderon (a senior at Assumption College) and Fredery Muñoz (a first-year at College of the Holy Cross). Their stories of resilience remind us why we all support Worcester’s youth. Thank you to the Worcester community for helping us guide Crismel, Fredery, and hundreds of other determined students to and through college. Below are videos of Crismel and Fredery’s speeches.

Class participation is one of the easiest ways to promote success in college. Being engaged can boost your grades, help you stand out to your professors, and help you learn more! Participation may also make you a more likely candidate for scholarships, research opportunities, jobs, and special recognition for which your professors may nominate you. The following tips will help you or a student you know be an active learner in the college classroom:

1 ) Be prepared for class
Completing your homework and assigned reading is the most important factor for doing well in class. If you attend class prepared, it will be easier to participate, pass tests and quizzes, and learn the material (which is why you are there in the first place!).

2 ) Arrive on time
Punctuality shows that you are serious about the class and you value the time you spend there.

3 ) Sit in the front
You will be easily visible to your professor and you will listen better from the front of the classroom.

4 ) Hold a pen
Having a writing utensil in hand is a signal to your professor that you are ready and willing to take notes.

5 ) Take notes
In a lecture class, you need to write down information – at the very least – every 5 minutes. This will help you stay present and retain information.

6 ) Nod your head
What better way to show your professor that you are listening and engaged than with your body language!

7 ) Make eye contact
Keep your eyes up and watch your professor as he/she lectures. Sooner or later your eyes will meet and he/she will see that you are engaged in class!

8 ) Speak up
Make sure your voice is heard at least once a week in your classes. If you have a question, ask it. If you have an opinion, share it. Your professor will recognize your effort if you make a point to speak up!

Greetings from España!

It has been a very long time since my last blog post and a lot has happened between the final days of school until now. I was able to successfully finish off the school year and enjoy my summer vacation by going to the Dominican Republic and working at Bottom Line with the high school class of 2012. Working with all of the students was very rewarding and it was difficult knowing that I would not be working with them for the rest of the year, but I had to leave the comfort of my family and Bottom Line in order to make the very bold decision to study abroad!

Ever since I was in high school I knew I was interested in going abroad, but never thought I was adventurous enough to actually do it. With the help of some of the Bottom Line counselors, I decided to apply to the program at my school. I am glad to say that I stuck with it and I am now currently in Pamplona, Spain, doing a 3-week orientation program. I will be spending the next year (yes, year!) in Spain with the study abroad program at my school. After the orientation is over, I will be headed with 8 other Holy Cross students to the amazing island of Mallorca, where I will be living with a host family and taking classes towards my majors at the local university. Although it is very terrifying and still feels like a dream, I am looking forward to the year ahead of me. I’ve spoken to many students who have gone through the study abroad experience and they all have nothing but great things to say, so I know I too will enjoy everything that a new country has to offer.

I know a lot of students will probably question whether or not they would also like to go abroad. My best advice is to just talk to people. Talk to your Bottom Line counselor or advisor (I would not be here if it was not for my old counselor, Marilyn), talk to students who have gone abroad, and make sure to talk to the Study Abroad Department at your school! Studying abroad is not for everyone, but if you think it is for you, I would just take the chance and apply. You can always decide not to go even after you have been accepted into the program! A lot of schools also offer Summer Abroad or Semester Abroad programs, which are perfect for students who want to go abroad, but do not want to go for very long or cannot go for a year because their major does not allow them.

Let me know what you think about studying abroad!

Kristie