Jackson State University’s Office of Undergraduate Recruitment says 58 Illinois high school graduates from the same all-male school have been admitted to JSU this upcoming fall.
For the seventh-consecutive year, Chicago’s Urban Prep Academy has reached yet another milestone, with 100 percent of its seniors headed for college.
Dr. Juanita Morris, director of undergraduate recruitment, said, “We work to recruit students who are academically sound and willing to continue making positive contributions to our beloved university. We believe these young men, who will be joining Jackson State University from Urban Prep, will be assets to ‘Thee I Love.’ We can’t wait to welcome them to campus.”
Morris tells the story of a grieving mother who lost one son to violence just a few short years ago but whose youngest child will now attend JSU after graduating from Urban Prep.
Quoting the parent, Morris said the mother “just wants him to be happy. And, he believes he will be happy at Jackson State. So, that’s where I want him to be.”
Recruitment staffers will welcome the teen on move-in day, which will be Aug. 13 – a special day for the newcomer as he celebrates his 18th birthday.
Morris credits strong recruiting efforts by campus staff and Chicago alumni for “going above and beyond in assisting us in making connections with students, families and academicians.”
JSU undergraduate recruiter Chaid Thomas is the primary recruiter for non-Mississippi residents.
Urban Prep is led by CEO Tim King. It educates poor, young black urban males and enrolls students from Grades 9-12. However, officials say the academy continues to serve its young men through their college years.