Hi ,

For most, the month of July marks the middle of summer break. For first year scholars, this time before the commencement of your post-secondary education is crucial in ensuring that you successfully matriculate to campus. To help aid this transition, we've themed our July Mentor and Scholar Newsletters ""Reducing Summer Melt.""

In short, ""summer melt"" describes the phenomenon where recent high school graduates plan to pursue/attend their post-secondary education but don't actually matriculate at the end of the summer and do not attend college. This is due to a handful of reasons, including delays/issues with FAFSA and missing enrollment documents and fees. As Advisors, we are here to support you in making the transition from Summer to your first term at your college. 

For Scholars with Mentors, your Mentor can play a critical role in supporting your matriculation. Check in with your Mentor about any required documents or fees you need to ensure you are enrolled in your college.

Learn more about summer melt and use iMentor's checklists to ensure that your aware of your upcoming deadlines and on track to complete them. If you require any support, please reach out to us at advising@oaklandpromise.org.

Announcements

Mandatory First Year Workshops for 2021 Scholars

All newly awarded 2021 scholars need to RSVP and attend a First Year Workshop. This is a mandatory event for first year scholars. In order to be eligible to receive your scholarship, you must attend. First year workshops will get you familiar with the OP Scholarship expectations and review relevant topics as you transition into college - from navigating college to creating new habits. The remaining dates and times for the workshops are:

• Saturday, July 17th | 10 - 11AM

You are only required to attend ONE workshop. All workshops will take place on Zoom.

Please email advising@oaklandpromise.org or reach out directly to your advisor if you have any questions or concerns. 

Mentor-Scholar Activity 1.2

Reminder to complete Activity 1.2, which launched in your Scholar portal on 7/1. In this activity, you and your Mentor will complete a Social Identity Wheel and reflect on your learnings. Pairs will then use this conversation to research the different resources available at the Scholar’s institution. 

This activity includes 3 Parts:

• Individual Pre-work (Social Identity Wheel ~ 15 min);
• Main Activity (Discussion & Finding Community Activity ~ 60 min);
• Feedback Form (5 min).

The Finding Community Activity and Feedback Form are due by July 31st, at 11:59 pm.​This activity and your unique Feedback Form link can be found in your Scholar Portal under "Scholarship Requirements." If you have any questions, please email advising@oaklandpromise.org. 

Mentor-Scholar Activity 2.1

Reminder to complete Activity 2.1, which launched in your Scholar portal on 7/1. In this activity, Mentors and Scholars will asses their values and interests in order to begin understanding what is important to each of them when making decisions about their career. 

• This activity includes 3 Parts: Individual Pre-work (Article ~ 15 min);
• Main Activity (My Values Activity ~ 60 min)
• Feedback Form (5 min).

The My Values Activity and Feedback Form are due by July 31st, at 11:59 pm. This activity and your unique Feedback Form link can be found in your Scholar Portal under "Scholarship Requirements." If you have any questions, please email advising@oaklandpromise.org. 

Sign up for our Scholar Portal

Remember to sign up for our Oakland Promise Scholar Portal! The portal is a centralized location where you can:

• Change your contact details
• Check scholarship disbursement dates and scholarship requirements
• Submit scholarship documentation and surveys
• Access scholar resources
• And much more! 

You MUST create your Scholar Portal in order to receive your scholarship. Beginning in Fall 2021, all Scholar Docs will be submitted through the Scholar Portal. You should have receive a separate email about setting up an account on June 1st. If you are having any issues creating your Scholar Portal, please email us as admin@oaklandpromise.org.

Scholar Docs Open in August 

Scholar Doc submission for the Fall 2021 term will open on August 2nd.

We will no longer be sending out individual links to submit documents; instead all scholar docs will be sent using our new Scholar Portal! You should have received an email on June 1st with instructions on how to create your scholar portal profile. If you are having issues creating your profile, please email admin@oaklandpromise.org.

You must create your scholar portal in order to receive your Scholarship. Scholar documents will only be accepted through the Portal beginning in Fall 2021.

Holidays and Observances