Counselor: Parents can help ease children into college life
   For new freshmen, adjusting to college can be difficult. Demanding coursework, making friends and being away from home for the first time may seem overwhelming -- but there are several things parents can do to help their teenagers find success and happiness on campus, says Elizabeth Firestone, assistant professor in Georgia State University’s Counseling Center. “The best thing parents can do to help ease the transition is to be good listeners and to continually reinforce to their children that they can be successful,” says Firestone. “Their children are going to question themselves in every area, so parents need to be there to support and mentor them through all the doubts.” Parents should also encourage students to get involved in campus life and to seek out help from faculty. “Parents can show interest and be involved, without pushing or smothering their children,” she says. Firestone, who conducts workshops for parents during Georgia State’s freshman orientation, can offer more tips for parents of college students. Contact her at 404/651-2211 or coueef@langate.gsu.edu.

Retailers focus on back-to-college sales
   Retailers disappointed by 2003 back-to-school sales are raising their sights this year, targeting college kids in addition to the K-12 crowd, says Naveen Donthu, a Georgia State University marketing professor. This year, many retailers have included “back-to-college” sections in print and online catalogs, advertising dorm-room items such as furniture and appliances. “We haven’t seen this much before,” Donthu says. "It's a new thing." He predicts that despite their expanded focus, retailers probably won’t experience much of a rebound during this year’s back-to-school season, which is traditionally second only to Christmas in terms of annual retail sales. “Maybe six months from now people will start spending more money, but now they’re still apprehensive about the economy,” he says. Contact Donthu at 404/651-1043 (office), 678/377-9460 (home) or ndonthu@gsu.edu.

Study: Poor study habits, lack of support prevent students from retaining HOPE
   A new study by an educational policy researcher at Georgia State University examines why a growing number of students lose their merit-based, lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship within the first year of enrolling in college. Susan Hill Edwards, an adjunct faculty member in Georgia State’s counseling department, says several factors, including poor study habits, inadequate academic and career counseling, and lack of access to a support system, prevent students from securing the 3.0 grade-point average they need to keep the scholarship. “The scholarship program carries the assumption that students are prepared for college and are supported in areas that are essential for college survival, such as academic assistance, counseling, housing and career counseling,” Edwards says. Contact her at 404/651-3528 or shedwards@gsu.edu.

Honk if you like science
   After five years on the road and more than 900 visits under its fan belt, Georgia State University’s Bio-Bus continues its drive to spark students’ interest in the sciences. The 30-foot-long mobile laboratory travels to locations within an hour of downtown Atlanta, offering hands-on activities and demonstrations to students in grades four through 12. Eight learning modules in the physical, biological or earth sciences are taught by faculty, staff and graduate students. “Microbes and You” is one of the most popular new modules, according to biology professor Barbara Baumstark, the Bio-Bus program director. “A lot of the module has to do with seeing if different anti-microbial soaps really work, or say, does Listerine really kill germs in your mouth. The students can relate it to their own lives, so it becomes very relevant to them,” says Baumstark. The Bio-Bus is available free of charge to interested schools and community groups. For more information, contact Baumstark at 404/651-3156 or biobrb@langate.gsu.edu, or see www.biology.gsu.edu/industry/bio-bus/index.html.

Educational partnerships are music to kids’ ears
   In tough economic times, music education often gets short shrift in public schools. That’s why everyone can benefit from programs that team university musicians with neighborhood schools to enhance their music programs, says David E. Myers, associate director of the Georgia State University School of Music. Myers directs “Sound Learning,” a collaboration among Georgia State’s Center for Educational Partnerships in Music, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Public Schools and Fulton County Schools. “Not only do teachers and students learn from having professional musicians available in the classroom, but these partnerships extend the traditional, often isolated, role of the music specialist and invite performers and composers to be active participants in ensuring strong music-education programs in their schools and communities,” says Myers. “Building mindsets of collaboration to advance meaningful connections among those who perform, those who teach and those who learn may be crucial to maintaining a vital musical culture in our communities.” For more, contact Myers at 404/651-1721 or dmyers@gsu.edu.

Ready or not: Pre-Kindergarten programs can make the difference
   Nearly half of children entering kindergarten have risk factors associated with poor performance in school, including poorly educated parents and poverty, studies show. Parents can help reduce the effects of such school-readiness risks by finding the right preschool experiences for their children, says Gary Henry, professor of public administration and urban studies/educational policy studies at Georgia State University. “Universal pre-kindergarten programs like Georgia’s offer parents more options for their 4-year-olds,” Henry says. In Georgia, parents may send their children -- at no cost to them -- to state-funded preschool programs offered by both public and private institutions. Henry has thoroughly studied Georgia’s pre-kindergarten program and is available to discuss how it serves as a model for the nation in achieving school readiness among children. Contact Henry at 404/651-2343 or gthenry@gsu.edu.

Happening at Georgia State University:

School of Music Convocation
   The Georgia State University School of Music’s 2004 Convocation features performances by new faculty members and student musicians as well as the announcement of the Bob and Lois Weiner Jazz Scholarships. School of Music Director John Haberlen will host the event at noon Aug. 27 in Kopleff Recital Hall (corner of Peachtree Center Avenue and Gilmer Street). A reception will follow. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 404/651-1326.

International artists form ‘Strange Planet’
   This fall, Georgia State University’s Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design Gallery, Saltworks Gallery and Kiang Gallery become the nexus of “Strange Planet,” a multi-site exhibition of works by an international cadre of artists exploring a world that’s getting smaller. Eduardo Abaroa, Rubén Ortíz-Torres, Candice Breitz, Meschac Gaba and Danwen Xing examine notions of cultural commodity and the globalization of ideas and objects once considered essential elements of distinct cultures. “Strange Planet” opens at 5 p.m. Sept. 2 at the Welch School Gallery with a talk by Gaba. For more information, contact Cathy Byrd, gallery director, at 404/651-0489 or cathybyrd@gsu.edu.

Georgia State Leads is a biweekly e-mail publication from the Department of University Relations. For more information about the publication or to sign up to receive Georgia State Leads, contact Beth Flannigan at 404/651-3576 or bflannigan@gsu.edu.

Don't see what you're looking for? Call University Relations at 404/651-3025 for fast access to faculty experts and university news. After hours and on weekends, contact Betsy Robertson, assistant director, via pager at 404/655-3456.

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