The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. College Readiness and Success Summit, which was originally scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 13 on the MLK Holiday Weekend, has been rescheduled for Saturday, Jan. 27. The original Saturday saw a large snowstorm followed by extreme cold temperatures that canceled many Madison-area events that day.
For Dr. Derek Johnson, who founded the Martin Luther King, Jr. College Readiness and Success Summit, it was definitely a tough decision to postpone the annual event which helps students understand college admissions, college search and financial aid process.
“We waited until I started to see some of the local schools being closed on Friday and continued to monitor the weather. In the end, the expected snowstorm and severe weather created some really unsafe travel conditions for families and students that would be joining us as well as the presenters,” Johnson tells Madison365. “So we just really wanted to ensure we played it safe to make sure that no one was put into a place that they couldn’t get there for whatever reason. We felt it was best to push it back a couple of weeks here where the weather will hopefully be safe to travel in. So we’re looking forward to people joining us on January 27.”
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. College Readiness and Success Summit provides important information and resources to help prepare students for college, which can be a very daunting experience for any young person but especially overwhelming for those who are low-income and/or first-generation college students.
“That was me. I was a kid that didn’t know anything about the college process. And it was very, very overwhelming and frustrating to me at times,” Johnson says. “And that’s one of the reasons why I’m really excited to be able to continue to offer this summit because there is so much you need to know regardless of your background, whether you’re a first-generation college student or a sixth-generation college student. There’s so much information that’s out there that people need to know and it’s really important that they’re able to get that information in a very comfortable, relaxed, fun environment … because that’s what it’s really all about.
“For me, it’s definitely full circle where I was in a position where I didn’t know anything about the process, but now I’m in a position to be a resource for someone else who might really well need it,” he adds.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. College Readiness and Success Summit will be held from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Jan. 27 at the Madison College Goodman South Campus. The Summit will provide resources on pre-college program opportunities, how to navigate the college admissions process, financial aid, scholarship opportunities, and more.
“This will be the fifth annual Dr. Martin Luther King College Readiness Success Summit, and once again, we’ve got some really good information to share with local high school students and parents and guardians to come out and learn a little bit more about the college admissions and financial aid process,” Johnson says. “A lot has changed as it relates to the college admissions process and things related to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). So now’s a great time for students and families to come and learn and learn a little bit more.”
The event is an amazing resource for students and their parents and Johnson hopes that they make connections that go well beyond that one day.
“The point of this day is to also really make some of those connections. Most of our presenters work in student services, admissions and financial aid, I know that they have served as a resource well beyond this one-day event,” Johnson says. “So that’s really what it’s about. It’s about community and having access to information and resources and the people to really help guide you through this process so that those students and parents and guardians can ask all of their questions because this is the perfect time to get those answered.”
(Photo supplied.)
The College Station, a non-profit organization founded by Johnson, provides underserved students and families with the knowledge and access to information and resources needed to navigate the college search, admissions, and financial aid process. One of their signature events is the Martin Luther King, Jr. College Readiness and Success Summit, which is not just about helping students get into college, but also giving them tools and resources to navigate college while they’re there.
“We’ll be focusing a lot on health and well-being, leadership, identity development, and other success strategies to ensure that the students are successful and can make it through college,” Johnson says.
There will be two main sessions that are happening in the morning … one about the general admissions process and another about the financial aid process.
“Throughout the day students and families will have options to choose from for the different workshops that they want to attend,” Johnson says. “We will serve lunch. We’ve got a live DJ… a special appearance by Kyree Brooks (DJ Ree Maniac) who will be on the ones and twos.
“We’ve got a panel of current college students who will talk a little bit about their experience and will answer questions that students and families might very well have. Our keynote speaker this year is Paris Echoles, who is the founder of Born Gift3d, a youth development program,” Johnson adds. “So he’s going to come and hopefully share some words of encouragement to the folks who will attend.”
High school students of color, first-generation students, and parents are encouraged to attend. Students will also have chances to win college school supplies.
“We have a pretty packed day. As always, we’re really excited to be hosting this event,” Johnson says. “I think it has become a staple in the Madison community and something that we really enjoy doing and we receive very positive feedback every year. We’ll have some really cool prizes, as well. So yeah, hopefully, the community will join us.”
Johnson says that while he is disappointed that the event won’t be held on the MLK Holiday Weekend, safety is the number one priority and the later date might provide a chance for even more students to come and take advantage of the event and the resources to get ready for college.
“I love the MLK Weekend and all of the activities but I think the call to postpone was the right call. We want to make sure we do it right. I’m appreciative of all the presenters and their flexibility,” Johnson says. “We’ve reached out to the students and families that did register to attend and many of them have responded and are looking forward to joining us on January 27. We’re gonna have a great time.”
To reserve a spot at the Martin Luther King, Jr. College Readiness and Success Summit, click here.
