Media Advisory: Black students get preview of college life

Media are invited to cover the University of Illinois at Chicago’s New Student Breakfast with African American faculty, Saturday, Feb. 28, from 8 a.m. to noon UIC Student Center East, 750 S. Halsted St.

About 400 high school seniors and their families are expected to attend the breakfast, an annual event to give black students who have been accepted a glimpse of college life at UIC. Students will also have the opportunity to meet with black faculty members who will give real insight into what it takes to succeed once enrolled.

The goal of the event, part of UIC’s African American Recruitment and Enrollment Initiative, is to encourage the enrollment, retention and graduation of more black students and students of color while supporting student success at UIC.

Dr. Robert Winn, associate vice president for community-based practice at UI Health, will be the keynote speaker at 9 a.m. Aginah Muhammad, director of first year initiatives in the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs, will be the alumni keynote speaker at 9:30 a.m.

Prospective students can attend a full morning of academic information sessions with staff from UIC Admissions, Student Financial Aid, the African American Academic Network, the Urban Health Program, the CHANCE program, Summer College and Campus Housing.

Representatives from the UIC colleges of education, business administration, engineering, liberal arts and sciences, and applied health sciences will be on site to answer questions. Parents can attend sessions on financial aid and campus life with current UIC students.

Students and families will also attend the UIC Flames men’s basketball game against Wright State at 1 p.m. and the women’s basketball game against Oakland at 3 p.m. at the UIC Pavilion, 525 S. Racine Ave.