June 7, 2006

Broome Community College To Host
6th Annual Retention Symposium on Friday
-More Than 160 Educators From Across Northeast Are Scheduled to Attend-

(TOWN OF DICKINSON, NY) Broome Community College President Dr. Laurence Spraggs today announced the College will host the 6th annual Retention Symposium from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., on Friday, June 9, 2006. 

The morning session, which includes registration, welcoming remarks by BCC President Dr. Laurence Spraggs and keynote address by Dr. James Pogue of Binghamton University, will take place in the Student Center. The afternoon session, which includes discussion on a variety of topics, will be held in the Decker Applied Science Building.

“The symposium is designed to attract education leaders from across the region to discuss how we can enhance the student experience and keep students enrolled through graduation,” said BCC President Dr. Laurence Spraggs. “Questions we will discuss include how to promote student persistence, how to facilitate student retention, how college and government can foster student success and how the community can come together to enhance the student experience.”

Symposium Keynote Speaker, Dr. James H. Pogue, PhD., currently serves as the Director of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at Binghamton University. In this capacity, he is responsible for managing the overall planning activities and program development, including a summer program and orientation. Dr. Pogue is persuaded that all members of a college or university have a contribution to make in support of student progress toward academic, career, and personal goals. He is convinced that everyone must take responsibility for that progress.

The theme of the symposium is “Enhancing Student Persistence Through Institutional Synergy”. Sessions will discuss Retaining Students through First Year Experience, Technology Use as an Intervention Strategy for Student Success, Community as Essential in the Classroom, Programs Which Enhance Student Retention, Smart Start; A Successful Pre-College Program and others.

Presenters at the Symposium come from Community Colleges across New York and from as far away as Boston University and Algoma University College in Ontario Canada. Attendees at the Symposium also come from Community Colleges across New York as well as from Ohio, New Hampshire Technical Institute, Connecticut and Ontario Canada.