On Campus with Monica Britton-West

A recent New York Times articled stated only 29% of rural and 47% of urban youth, aged 18-24, are enrolling in college. By comparison, the national average for that age range is 69.7%.  The term "education deserts" is bandied about when it comes to Af-Am children, but is it that exactly.  My guest, Obama Administration Presidential award finalist high school principal  Ms. Assata Moore doesn't see it that way at all.  Under her leadership, 100% of her students were accepted to college and many other educational metrics exceeded.   Although she retired in 2017,  Assata shares from behind the velvet rope tips on how parents can be better advocates for their children in the education system and how youth can best engage & plan during their high school career to help determine the outcome they seek - to be accepted to the university of their choice.

The power of mentorship in life cannot be discounted. A good mentor helps a mentee to make decisions that help them reach their goals. A great mentor builds a mentees confidence in a way that less instruction or assurance is needed from others. A goal for me is when the mentor/mentee relationship transitions into a partnership. Dr. Cathy Owens-Oliver has been a mentor in the classroom to students as an educator, to young girls through her non-profit and to countless leaders in education through her work as a policy adviser. On this episode of “On Campus with Monica Britton-West” she shares from her well of knowledge, expertise and experience to help students, parents and educators become partners toward success. Show notes: https://monicabritton.com/oncampuspodcast008/

During the COVID-19 pandemic conversations around caring for our individual mental health became commonplace as we struggled with being forced to say indoors. The isolation. The anxiety. The overeating.  The insomnia. The fear. These things didn't just affect adults juggling working from home and remote learning, but students across K-12 and into college.  My guest mental health expert Christina Broderick, Founder of Ignite EDU and I spoke about all the things on how COVID has impacted us, how we're fairing as outside opens back up and how to steward & strengthen our collective mental health capacities. Show notes: https://monicabritton.com/oncampuspodcast006/

As parents of differently-abled children traverse the education system, IEP (individual educational plan) meetings, feeling alone on an island doing their best to advocate for their child for the right resources at the right time in the right place. It all can feel like an overwhelming, exhausting rabbit hole when you don't have support or know where to turn. On this episode of "On Campus with Monica Britton-West" Dr. Nickey Woods shares from her 20+ years of experience and expertise serving families of one of the most under-served communities I can think of navigate the path toward higher education. Show notes: https://monicabritton.com/oncampuspodcast005/

Sit down for this episode and make sure you have a pen & paper handy because my guest Tanika Mangum of Paid4College.com gives ALL the tips on how she attended not only undergrad debt-free but grad school, too.  My producer was so taken by what she shares while editing he immediately asked me to connect them so she could do a workshop for his family and 5 others who all have children going to college in the fall! Carve out some time for this episode and get the gems.  Show notes: https://monicabritton.com/oncampuspodcast004/