Faculty-Student Mentoring Program

Check out the student resourses in out webpage http://academics.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid=70392

Student Resources academics.utep.edu/ous

Office for Undergraduate Studies – Strategies for Becoming a More Successful Student at UTEP
Spring 2012
www.utep.edu/ous
Student Resources
Become a Better/Faster Reader: A Time Management Strategy
Table of Reading Speeds
< 180 words per minute (wpm) below average
180 - 240 WPM average
240 - 350 average college level
350 - 500 above average
> 500 superior
240 WPM is reading one word at a time - your eyes need ¼ second to fixate on a word. How fast do you read? To check your reading speed:
1. Get a book that is not too easy or not too hard, something that is about your average reading level.
2. Using your watch or a timer, read for 3 minutes.
3. Count how many lines you read during that time.
4. Count about how many words are in each line. To do that, count several lines to see how many words are in each line, then take the average.
5. Multiply the number of lines you read by the average number of words in each line.
6. Divide by 3. That’s the number of words you read in a minute.
There are also many websites where you can check your reading speed – search for something like “check your reading speed” and pick one.
Tips to Become a Better/Faster Reader Stop Sub-vocalizing. Vocalizing is reading out loud, even if very quietly or only with your lips. Sub-vocalizing is reading silently but with the voice still in your head. Both can greatly slow your reading speed and reduce comprehension. Stopping is important to improving your reading. If you have a problem with vocalizing, make a conscious effort to keep your mouth closed and your tongue still while you read. Sub-vocalization can be a bit trickier, but calm yourself and practice. Increase your eye span. Eye movements are not smooth when you read, they are a series of moves and stops. Increase the number of words you read in each stop, learn to read in phrases. One word per stop is 240 words per minute (wpm), two words per stop is 480 wpm - just like that. Practice reading 2 then 3 then more words at a time. Go to this website to try some exercises:
http://www.readingtransformations.com/members_area/WidenEyeSpanEx1.html Do eye exercises. Your eyes are controlled by muscles, and like the other muscles in your body, you can make them stronger with exercise. Making your eye muscles stronger can contribute to becoming a better, faster reader by reducing muscle fatigue. And, it’s fun to do.
Look Thumb-to-Thumb - Sit straight in your chair, look straight ahead, hold your arms out to your sides, and do ‘thumbs up’. Without turning your head, move your eyes back and forth looking from your left to right thumbs ten times. Eyes are tired, right?
Write with Your Eyes - Look at the wall on the far side of the room, move your eyes as you would move a pencil as if you were writing. Write in both cursive and printing.
Eye Ball Squeeze - Inhale and open your eyes and mouth as wide as you can - stretch out all your facial muscles. Exhale, close your eyes, and squeeze all your facial muscles as tightly as you can.
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Student Resources
Stop Regressing. Regressing is going forward and backward with your eyes as you read. In other words, reading words over and over. It’s good to go back and consciously read over words or phrases that you didn’t understand but unconscious regressing is just a bad habit which is slowing down your reading speed and reducing your comprehension. To see if you regress, get a pacer (such as a card, your finger, or the end of a pencil) and use it to pull your eyes moving forward as you read. Can you feel your eyes trying to go back? That means you’ve been regressing. Now work on breaking that bad habit! Adjust your Reading Style to your Reading Material. Not everything should be read the same. Just as you don’t wear the same pair of shoes for every occasion – you shouldn’t read everything the same way.
o Skim – run your eyes over quickly over the mater, to get the gist
o Scan – look for a particular piece of information such as a date or place
o Extensive reading - for pleasure and needing global understanding, can
be faster, without worrying about memorizing
o Intensive reading – for extracting specific information, requires more
thoughtful and accurate reading for detail
Skimming is used to quickly identify the main ideas of a text. Most people skim 3 to 4 times faster than normal reading. People often skim when they have lots of material to read in a limited amount of time. Read the first and last paragraphs using headings, summaries and other organizers as you move down the page or screen. Read the title, subtitles, subheading, and illustrations. Read the first sentence of each paragraph.
Scanning is a technique you often use when looking for a specific piece of information. You search for key words, phrases, or ideas. In most cases, you know what you're looking for, so you're concentrating on finding a particular answer. Move your eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases. Look for the author's use of organizers such as numbers, letters, steps, or the words, first, second, or next. Look for words that are bold faced, italics, or in a different font size, style, or color. Sometimes the author will put key ideas in the margin. Move your eyes across the page to locate key words or phrases. Beginning in the top left-hand corner of the page, move your eyes from left to right in an 'z' shaped motion. Allow your eyes to focus only on the key words of the text. Filler words like 'the', 'it', 'and' and so on can be ignored.
Pick 3 of the above reading tips that sound like something that would help you. Write them down below along with how and when you will incorporate them into your Becoming a More Successful Student Plan.
1.
2.
3.
Power of Positive Thinking. I can become a better, faster reader by practicing certain key points and thinking about how I read. There are different ways to read different things and paying attention to that will make me a more efficient reader which will make better use of my time. Reading well is key to being a successful student and I am well on my way to becoming a stronger, better reader. I love to read and this is going to make a difference in my success at school.

Office For Undergraduate Studies academics.utep.edu/ous

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Scholarships (HACU)
Deadline: May
Thousands of young Hispanics benefit from HACU with internships, scholarships, college retention and advancement programs, precollegiate support, and career development opportunities and programs. The scholarship programs are made possible due to generous contributions from corporate and federal organizations.
HACU uses one scholarship application for the different programs it administers. Program criteria will vary based on the requirements of the funding organization, e.g., specific major, level of study, college/university, region of the country, etc.
Requirements:
• Demonstrate financial need
• Eligible for Federal Financial Aid
• U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Meet criteria for specific scholarships to which the student is applying
Amount: Varies
How to apply: Apply online at
http://www.hacu.net/hacu/Scholarships_EN.asp?SnID=755133524
Fulbright Grants

http://www.hacu.net/hacu/Scholarships_EN.asp?SnID=755133524

Gilman International Scholarship Programs
Deadline: April 15
The Gilman Scholarship Program is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are planning to study abroad. The program aims to diversify the kinds of students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go by supporting undergraduates who might otherwise not participate due to financial constraints.
Requirements:
• Undergraduate
• U.S. citizen
• The applicant must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant or provide proof that he/she will be receiving a Pell Grant at the time of application or during the term of his/her study abroad
• The applicant must study abroad for at least four weeks in one country
Amount: up to $5,000
How to apply: Apply online at http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program The Gilman Scholarship Program offers awards for undergraduate study abroad.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Financial Need Scholarship
Deadline: April 15
Alpha Kappa Alpha provides post-freshman student access to financial support based either on academic merit or financial need. Students do not need to be members of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
Requirements:
• Full-time student, sophomore or beyond
• GPA: 2.5+ on a 4.0 scale
• Demonstrate community service and involvement
Amount: Varies
How to apply: Apply online at http://www.akaeaf.org/undergraduate_scholarships.htm
Gilman International

http://www.akaeaf.org/undergraduate_scholarships.htm#need Financial Need scholarship applications and supporting documents for Undergraduate students have a postmark deadline of April 15, 2013. Awards will be announced in August 2013.

The Pearson Prize for Higher Education
Deadline: April 11
The Pearson Prize is designed to reward those students who have made a significant impact on their local campus and/or in their local community through work on specific projects and programs. The Pearson Prize will tell the story of these students, their work and their commitment, so that students at all levels can be inspired by their example. The Pearson Prize for Higher Education is for students who have completed at least one year in a two- or four-year college and have demonstrated leadership in community service.
Requirements:
• Undergraduate
• GPA: 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• U.S. citizens or permanent resident
• Family members or employees of Pearson Foundation or NSCS may not apply
Amount: up to $ 10,000.
How to apply: Apply online at
http://www.nscs.org/pearsonprize

The Pearson Prize for Higher Education | The National Society of Collegiate Scholars The Pearson Prize for Higher Education is an award initiative developed by the Pearson Foundation. Pearson is the world’s leading education company and is committed to helping students make progress in their lives through education and information.

Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund
Deadline: April 1
The Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund provides grants to students actively working for justice and peace. These need-based scholarships are awarded to students who are able to do academic work at the university level and also take part in progressive movements on campus and in the community.
Requirements:
• Undergraduate/graduate
Amount: up to $ 6,000
How to apply: Apply online at
http://www.davisputter.org/index.html
The Pearson

Davis Putter - Redirect davis putter scholarship fund.

We at the Office for undergraduates studies would like to thank evey one who attended the Faculty-Student mentoring meeting on January 25, 2013. The meeting went well and we hope it was informative yet entertaining.

Planning Overview
Faculty-Student Mentoring Program
Spring Shout-Out 2013
Date: January 25, 2013
Time of event: 2:00-4:00 pm
Location of event: Academic Services Building 131
Please RSVP If youhavent already. A message has been sent to your UTEP E-Mail

Planning Overview
Faculty-Student Mentoring Program
Spring Shout-Out 2013
Date: January 25, 2013
Time of event: 2:00-4:00 pm
Location of event: Academic Services Building 131

General Mills-Quality & Regulatory Operations Intern Program
Deadline: early-Fall
Location: Multiple locations available
The QRO Intern program is designed to offer individuals an opportunity to actively participate in the quality management process at General Mills. Internships typically last two to three months and are located at a production facility based on the candidate’s educational background, skill sets, and career interests. The interns will lead key projects critical to the plants’ future success and business needs. Interns are responsible for managing and leading their projects throughout the program utilizing their technical aptitude and communication skills while interacting with many other functions within General Mills.
Requirements:
Completed sophomore or junior year or currently enrolled in graduate program
Major: Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Food Process Engineering, Materials Science, Food Science, Sensory Science, Microbiology, or Chemistry
Amount: Salary not disclosed
How to apply: Apply online at
http://jobs.generalmills.com/us/internship/quality-associate-intern-jobs

Corporate, Engineering and Manufacturing Careers at General Mills Headquartered in Minneapolis,General Mills has a variety of jobs from finance to engineering. Find out more about career opportunities here.

College of Education
Breakthrough Summer Teaching Internship
Deadline: See website
Location: Multiple locations available
The internship program, sponsored by Breakthrough Collaborative, offers more than 700 high school and college students the opportunity to lead their own middle school classroom. Also, the summer program allows interns the possibility to experience first-hand what it's like to teach, motivate, and inspire students and grow as a leader and an educator. During the 8-week program, each teacher-intern works with experienced, professional educators-Mentor Teachers. Breakthrough will provide you with an opportunity to challenge yourself in a meaningful way and make a profound impact on a young person's life.
Requirements:
• Must be at least 15 years old
• For additional information refer to website
Amount: The internship is unpaid with financial aid and living expenses provided for teachers. Stipends range from $1,000 to $3,300 depending on need and experience.
How to apply: See website
http://www.breakthroughcollaborative.org/teach

Teach at Breakthrough | Breakthrough Collaborative The Breakthrough Summer Teaching Internship is an incredible opportunity for more than 700 outstanding high school and college students each summer.