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' Nurturing Hope' Special Summer Programs for Disadvantaged
At a time of the school recess, SUNY finds itself most active
in sponsoring projects that enable the college facilities to be
utilized in what Dr. Charles W. Laffin, J r . , President of the college,
describes as a " Summer - in- the Country" campus life for
students living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. There are five
all- important programs going on now at Framingdale in keeping
with Chancellor Gould's request of all units of State University
becoming involved in " expanding opportunities for disadvantaged
citizens." Upon Dr. Laffin's request, the college's Faculty Council
established the Equal Opportunities Task Force in implementing
this program, most successful this summer.
The basic programs for the under- achievers might be summed
up, " Seedbed of Hope" which said: " The State Agricultural and
Technical College at Farmingdale has long offered young people
a chance to learn how to husband living things. This summer it
is offering .. different groups of young men and women the opportunity
to learn how to nurture one of the most precious of all
human resources.. hope."
Programs taking place on the Farmingdale campus include:
Town of Islip Training Program, designed to accommodate high
school dropouts who had no college career objectives; CORE project:
self- funded to provide grass- roots leadership training for
Nassau County young black men to work with the community and
help provide advisors in the area of social services and job placement;
WIDER OPPORTUNITIES AT FARMINGDALE ( WOAF): designed
to provide 65 incoming freshmen with summer remedial
work through the College Work Study Program; INSIGHT INTO
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY ( IAI) Program: Run in cooperation with
General Motors through their Cadillac Motor Division, the program
is training young men to assume middle management positions
and eventually qualify as service managers at metropolitan
dealerships; PROJECT EDGE ( Educational Development in a
Gainful Environment) - An Upward Bound type of program for 30
high school youths from Bedford- Stuyvesant and Brownsville Sections
who have been guaranteed admission to the City University
of New York upon successful completion of the Farmingdale program
and high school graduation.
GETTING FIRST HAND ADVICE: Frank Elkins, Assistant
to the President for Public Information, looks over some
of the work done by two of his WOAF students, Lolita Rowe
and Mary Snead.
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State University Automotive Chairman Robert Dennison looks
on as four students check engine of a Cadillac in the " Insight
into Automotive Industry" program.
Students of WOAF program enjoy the peaceful campus atmosphere
at Farmingdale, quite a transition from their homes
in disadvantaged areas.
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idfnce H* l l s of Farmingdale: WOAF Faculty Members discuss Town of Islip Program with potential
students take time out for studies and music. students at Thompson Hall. P^ enuai
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Farmingdale OBSERVER Thursday, August 22, 1968
