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PEOPLE names director
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by Nick Penzenstadler
Monday, January 29, 2007
The University of Wisconsin named a new director for a college preparatory program aimed at underrepresented student populations Friday.
Jacqueline A. DeWalt will take over the Pre-college Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence, a sequential college preparation program which manages nearly 1,200 underprivileged students in Wisconsin. PEOPLE advises minority and low-income students, ranging from elementary to high school, to eventually help them through their undergraduate studies.
"They did a national search so in terms of expecting it, I wanted it, but it was highly competitive," DeWalt said. "I started as a grad student in 1999 and came onboard in 2000, and then was assistant director for two years."
DeWalt was chosen from several national candidates to replace Walter Lane, assistant dean in the School of Education, who will still manage other initiatives at UW.
A UW press release said DeWalt will oversee summer workshops, year-round academic enrichment and participate in community outreach with her team of seven program directors.
Danielle James, a middle school PEOPLE representative, said DeWalt witnessed the program from the ground up and was a special part of its rapid growth.
And according to Martha Fisher, office manager for PEOPLE, DeWalt is highly qualified for the position.
"Her vision of the program is great, she's been with the program forever so she has the experience," Fisher said. "She's the best person [because of] her knowledge and her love of the students."
The program began when 60 to 80 high school students were first recruited in Milwaukee in 1999, DeWalt said. In 2000, middle school students from Madison became involved in PEOPLE.
"We have approximately 180 college scholars and our first cohort group [is] on the five-year tuition scholarship," she said. "With the class of 2006, there were 72 students from state high schools, 39 of those were from the local area."
DeWalt said PEOPLE recently added schools from five Native American communities, including the Menominee nation. She added they are also piloting programs at the Northport and the Packer community learning centers in Madison.
In order for the program to grow even further, DeWalt said she will accelerate her fundraising efforts.
"I want our students to be globally ready," DeWalt said. "I want to have them exposed more in entrepreneurship and global involvement. In order for us to do that, we're going to have to elevate our levels of partnership on and off campus, increase[e] funds and creat[e] internship opportunities for our students."
PEOPLE has proven this commitment by establishing STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering and Math — for the purpose of giving students a globally competitive edge.
DeWalt said the program seeks to establish academically sound and well-rounded students for the UW System while bridging partnerships with the community.
"I've received great training and have a great idea of the program," DeWalt said. "I'll hope to do a great job maintaining some continuity with parents and our partners in the campus and the community."
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