ACT 101, originated by the Higher Education Equal Opportunity Act of 1971, is a state grant program that provides assistance to Pennsylvania students with counseling, mentoring and resources to help them excel in the state’s schools.
At Eastern, the program has been directed by Dr. Lisa Hemlick, director of CCAS since 1999, with Calvin Skinner, resident director of Sparrowk Hall, serving as the counselor for the students.
Fifty students are invited to the program each year based mainly on an academic requirement.
“ACT 101 is a four-year commitment that provides one-on-one tutoring and assistance to students to make sure they get the right classes and anything else they may need,” Skinner said.
Not only does the program supply extra support for students to excel emotionally and academically, but it also provides many first-year students with books through the ACT 101’s book loan program.
“With the book loan library, students can come and receive books for classes,” Skinner said.
As the director of the program, Dr. Hemlick enjoys the one-on-one interaction ACT101 offers students.
“What I like most about the program is to help students on the individual basis, to know the students and to see them grow and succeed,” she said.
More than 20 years after ACT 101 began on campus, it still strives to provide its students with excellent resources to make their college experience a little bit easier. Sophomore and ACT 101 student Ishmael Brown said, “The program is a big help financially, but it also helps as a support system for the students.”
With the many benefits of the ACT 101 program, its main goal is to evolve students into campus leaders, helping them to achieve their goals or aspirations.
“Act 101 students are university students,” Dr. Hemlick said. “They are leaders, Dean’s List students, chaplains and resident assistants.”
Anyone with questions about ACT 101 is encouraged to stop by CCAS to make an appointment with either Dr. Hemlick or Calvin Skinner.