Weekend brings diverse prospects

SMO offers prospective minority students sneak peak at JMU

Prospective minority students from the Tidewater, Northern Virginia, Richmond and Lynchburg/Roanoke areas will take part in this year's 18th annual Prospective Students Weekend.

The event is co-sponsored by the Office of Admissions and Students for Minority Outreach. SMO was organized in 1985 and recognized in 1989 as a "huge recruitment tool for the university," according to Zephia Bryant, senior assistant director of the Center for Multicultural and International Students Services.

Throughout the weekend, prospective students will be housed with current JMU students. This is the most important aspect of the weekend, according to Arthur Dean II, assistant director of admissions, because "the current students … convey their own personal experiences of JMU and their positive and negative feelings about the institution."

Sophomore Tiffany Jackson said, "The weekend is designed to give prospective students a taste of all of the events that will be going on throughout the year and to show students how they can get involved at JMU."

Tomorrow's events include an organizational fair with a step show from 4 to 6 p.m. on the commons and a talent show at 6 p.m. in Wilson Hall.

Saturday mock classes, a high school step show in Wilson Hall from 2 to 4 p.m. and a go-go party in the PC Ballroom featuring the Huck-a-Bucks from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. will take place. A church service will be held Sunday at 10 a.m. in Taylor 202.

"We want to communicate to prospective students that they should not be intimidated when placed in an environment that the majority of the people do not look like them, but that they should find the opportunities available in that environment and succeed," said senior Renita Moore, president of SMO.

Dean said, "We want prospective students to know that it is possible for African-Americans to have their own culture and a thriving community on a predominately white campus.

"Because I personally had such a great experience here at the institution, I want to ensure that other African-Americans and minorities in general have a similar experience here.

"Prospective students' weekend is vital to the university in that 75 percent of the students attending the weekend attend JMU in the fall, and that is very significant in the recruitment of African-American students," Dean said.

Sophomore Kristin Brown agreed, saying, "It sealed my decision. I knew that whichever school I went to I was going to succeed academically and socially, but I just fell in love with the campus and the people during prospective students' weekend."

Bryant said, "I feel that JMU provides a welcoming and inclusive environment to all students and the faculty and staff are readily accessible.

"I would hope … that [prospective students' weekend] will be an excellent opportunity for students to find out early what resources are available on our campus and to find out how to get involved in the community."

Dean said he hopes to expand the program to include Hispanic and Latino students.

Last year SMO was recognized by Student Organizational Services as the Outstanding Non-Front-End-Budgeted Student Organization.

It has been nominated again this year.