More than 50 aspiring minority doctoral candidates will see if pursuing an advanced degree at West Virginia University is right for them when they visit the campus this week (May 3-4).

“The number and caliber of participants who will attend this first-ever, two-day program is outstanding,”said Jennifer McIntosh, WVU s executive officer for Social Justice.

“Its exciting to offer this for the first time and to see that there is a need and desire for a program of this type,”she said .”Hopefully, this colloquium will provide participants the information and familiarity with doctoral programs that will encourage them to pursue high degrees and enable them to succeed in their chosen areas.”

Amena Oliver, currently the director of Intercultural Relations and Multicultural Recruitment at Wesleyan University, will be one of the participants.

Oliver, who will be entering WVU s doctoral program in educational leadership studies this fall, says the colloquium is a”wonderful”initiative.

“I think this is a great idea,”Oliver said.”Its a wonderful way to get minority studentslike meinvolved and off to a good start.”

The program begins at 9 a.m. Friday in the Mountainlair ballrooms with a welcome and overview by WVU President David C. Hardesty Jr. Provost Gerald Lang will discuss what it takes to succeed as a doctoral student, and Rosemary Haggett, associate provost for Academic Programs, will talk about funding models for doctoral scholars. There also will be exhibits and lunch.

Later, participants will meet individually with faculty and administrators to discuss their areas of academic interest.

Chancellor J. Michael Mullen will also be on hand to speak with the group at an afternoon stop at One Waterfront Place, where they will tour the WVU Visitors Center. Mullen will also attend the evening dinner at Erickson Alumni Center.

At 9 a.m. Saturday at the Ramada Inn, Elizabeth Dooley, WVU associate professor of Educational Theory and Practice, will discuss life in Morgantown and at WVU , followed by lunch.

Dana Brooks, dean of the WVU School of Physical Education, will provide a conference summary.

The Chancellors Office of the Higher Education Policy Commission, the WVU Presidents Office for Social Justice and the WVU Office of the Provost developed the idea for the conference last fall after a review of national statistics suggested that minority students tend to have a harder time adjusting to graduate studies.

“We believed that a colloquium could help minority students establish mentors, develop an increased familiarity with higher education, and help prospective students become better acquainted with the many doctoral programs offered here,”McIntosh said.

The idea also coincided with WVU s announcement of its Academic Partnership Program for Minority Teaching Fellows. The new partnership facilitates teaching opportunities for WVU minority doctoral students at Fairmont State, Glenville State, Potomac State College of WVU and WVU Parkersburg. While honing their teaching skills, the students add diversity to the states higher education system. It is anticipated that Shepherd and West Liberty State College will join this group in the fall of 2002.

For more information on attending the colloquium or the academic partnership program, call the WVU Presidents Office for Social Justice, 304-293-5496.