About Us

The Freshman Academy for Diverse Students is an interactive learning experience that promotes the retention of all students, with particular focus on minority students. It is designed to provide first year students with the information, encouragement and direction they need in order to navigate college life and reach their academic, personal, and professional goals at Eastern Kentucky University. The Academy connects first-year students with their fellow classmates, and introduces them to EKU faculty, staff and student leaders who will provide on-going support throughout their college career at EKU and beyond.

Each year of the Freshman Academy for Diverse Students at Eastern Kentucky University promises even greater opportunities for its participants.

When the Academy was launched in 2014 to promote the retention of all students, with a particular focus on minority students, organizers hoped it would build a “culture of achievement.” The results from the inaugural year suggest it accomplished just that.

The fall-to-fall retention rate for the 51 first-year Academy participants was 82.4 percent, well above the average for other diverse students, and 77 percent are in good academic standing. Also, the average GPA of the group is 2.69, surpassing the average of other freshman diverse students.

Now sophomores, those students remaining with the Academy to serve as mentors for the program’s incoming freshmen can stay on to gain additional leadership skills. The mentors and mentees will meet on a regular basis.

The Academy is designed to provide first-year students with the information, encouragement and direction they need in order to navigate college life and reach their academic, personal and professional goals at EKU. In addition to the mentoring by their older classmates and faculty and staff, the second class of Academy freshmen will benefit from their participation in a couple of two-day seminars – one focused on the comprehensive college experience and involving students from three states and another specifically on college skills – as well as various interactive workshops as well as other academic and social activities.

“All the students were very positive about the experience,” she said. “The mentoring, from their peers and from faculty and staff, makes it work. The participants gain an increased sense of belonging and when we get to know the students better, we can better advocate for them.”

The Academy’s first class included African Americans, Latino and international students. The GPA and ACT composite scores of the minority participants were virtually comparable to their non-participating freshman ministry classmates, Nnoromele noted.

Participation in the program is by self-selection. Students must register by a given deadline in order to attend the Annual Student Success Conference and take advantage of all Academy resources and scholarship opportunities.

The Academy’s campus partners include the President’s Office, Office of the Provost, Office of the Executive Vice President and University Counsel, academic colleges, EKU Library, Bookstore, University Programs, many academic departments and many offices in the Division of Student Success.

Published on April 07, 2016