The Urban Scholars Outreach Program
Mission and Objectives
The Urban Scholars Outreach Program (USOP) is a nonprofit organization with
a three-fold mission:
- Provide educational assistance to students in preparing for the PSAT/SAT and
ACT college entrance examinations.
- Supplement the Tampa Bay area county school system “bench-mark”
requirements for grade levels K-12.
- Stimulate untapped passion in our urban students toward learning, and
setting and achieving educational goals.
The overall objective is to advance the scholastic ability of students to be
academically competitive in entering the nation's leading universities.
Program Description
Success in getting into college rests largely on a student's skills in
mathematics, reading, and writing. The University of South Florida has created a
Saturday program to help students in grades K-12 develop the math, reading, and
writing skills that may carry them into college and beyond.
Targeted at African-American and Hispanic students in urban communities, the
USF Urban Scholars Outreach Program is a free educational supplement available to
all. A unique aspect of the program is that parents are encouraged to participate
alongside their children, providing commitment and continuing reinforcement.
Volunteer teachers from the USF faculty, graduate and advanced undergraduate
students, as well as retired schoolteachers, provide small group and individual
assistance. The USF program focuses on helping students prepare for the public
school assessment programs, including the High School Competency Test, the Florida
Writing Assessment Program, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, as well as
Benchmark tests and Semester exams. The program includes special instruction in
test preparation for high school students, including the SAT and ACT tests used
for college admission.
Students are divided into appropriate grade and skill level sections in
mathematics, reading, and writing. They participate in field trips to view
laboratory experiments in biology, chemistry, and physics. Materials and books are
provided free-of-charge. Participating students will receive certificates upon
completion of the program.
Sessions begin at 10 a.m. each Saturday from September through May, except for
holidays, on the third floor of Cooper Hall on the USF Tampa campus.
Program Personnel
- Chris P. Tsokos, Ph.D., Distinguished University Professor,
Program Co-Founder and Executive Director
- Evelyn Williams, Community Coordinator
- Rebecca D. Wooten, Ph.D., Academic Advisor
- Alfred Mbah, Academic Assistant to the Executive Director
Contact Information
Program Director:
Dr.
Chris P. Tsokos
Email: profcpt@cas.usf.edu
Phone: (813) 974-9745
Fax: (813) 974-3688