NSU Horizons Spring/Summer 2009

academic notes A s of January 2009, 145 of 250 total student-athletes at NSU had grade point averages (GPAs) above 3.0. Sixty-one of those athletes had GPAs above 3.5. The men’s soccer team averaged a 3.11 GPA overall, the highest among the men’s teams. The women’s teams were led by the tennis team, with an average GPA of 3.56. Overall, the athletic program had a collective 3.0 term GPA. “We work hard at producing top-notch Division II athletic competitors,” said Mike Mominey, athletic director and head baseball coach. “But we also work equally hard to ensure the stu- dents’ academic success.” For this level of educational achievement, Mominey partially credits the department’s coordinator of athletic academics who monitors the scholastic progress of all student-athletes each semes- ter. Scholastic initiatives include supervised study halls for all student-athletes in their first semester at NSU and for any student- athlete with a semester GPA below 2.5. Tutoring services are also available from the Office of Academic Services and the College Success Program. These efforts are creating a successful track record. For exam- ple, for the fall 2008 semester, NSU had 35 student-athletes out of 67 competing in fall sports named to the Sunshine State Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll, which requires a min- imum grade point average of 3.20 on a scale of 4.00. Participants in men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, and volleyball were eligible. Five of the NSU student-athletes who made the Honor Roll carried a perfect 4.0 GPA. They were Elizabeth Brauher, women’s soccer, applied professional studies major; Eskender Abdalla, men’s cross country, business administration major; Andrea Irarrazabel, volleyball, biology major; Jenerra McGruder, volleyball, business administration major; and Sergio DeFeudis, men’s soccer, business administration major. NSU is proud of these competitors who honor both halves of their “student-athlete” title. n Student-Athletes Earn Points in the Classroom and on the Court A low income should not be a determining factor for student success. But, all too often, children who fall into this cat- egory also fall through the educational system’s cracks. With this in mind, a determined group of faculty members, students, and volunteers from Nova Southeastern University’s Center for Psychological Studies (CPS) are working to help improve academic and socialization outcomes for low-income youth. “When families and schools work together to support children who display resilience in the face of adversity, we find that they do better academically and also in terms of their own well-being and behavior,” said Diana Formoso, Ph.D., a CPS faculty member. Formoso, along with Mercedes B. ter Maat, Ph.D., LPC, ATR-BC; Christian DeLucia, Ph.D.; and volunteers from the CPS doctoral-level and under- graduate programs are the facilitators for Connections: Families and Schools Supporting Our Youth. This NSU project is a partnership with the Broward County Public Schools and four of its low-income elementary schools. Targeting children of diverse backgrounds, parents, and schools, the project works to improve outcomes for low-income youth. Its goal is to promote coping skills, create stronger family relationships, increase parental involvement and practices, encourage support from adults and peers, and foster more school-home communication. To ensure ready access to the pro- gram, the neighborhood school is the host for youth meetings and parenting sessions. A light dinner is served, and on-site child care is provided. Formoso said the ease of access has helped attract and keep families involved. Research conducted during the program will be used to educate other practitioners in the field who work with low-income and ethnically diverse families. Findings are expected to be published in a scholarly journal and will be presented at state and national conferences. “By devoting our resources to serving these low-income schools, we are able to use the gift of education to serve the local commu- nity,” Formoso said. ■ Raising Success Rates for Low-Income Youth 6 horizons Left to right: Elizabeth Brauher, Eskender Abdalla, Andrea Irarrazabel, Jenerra McGruder, Sergio DeFeudis