College Incentive Program

This three-year project at Shaw University (North Carolina), an historically black institution, was a dual enrollment project designed, first, to attract academically talented minority students to teacher education and, second, to motivate minority students to attend college. Over a three-year period, the college incentive program brought a total of 50 high school seniors from public schools in Wake County and surrounding counties in North Carolina to Shaw for two semesters (on Saturdays) and one summer of intensive study. Students who successfully completed the program earned approximately one semester of college credit. Students also received full financial aid and were placed in the honors program at Shaw if they completed the program with a B or better average and attended Shaw University. The program also provided participants with academic and support services such as tutoring and counseling. Project evaluation indicted that all participants completed high school, a vast majority completed the program, over 90 percent entered college, most of the students majored in teacher education, and more than 50 percent qualified for the honor roll at Shaw University. Appended are three letters from program participants. (DB)