Graduating Seniors Encouraged to ‘Get a Jump Start’ on Their College Career This Summer

Kimra Schipporeit
director of Student Records and Registration, 308.865.8527 or unkregistrar@unk.edu

“Get a jump start on your college career!” is a message being sent to high school graduating seniors living within easy drive-time to the University of Nebraska at Kearney, according to Kim Schipporeit, UNK director of Student Records and Registration.

The graduating seniors who are receiving postcards encouraging them to consider summer school have already been admitted to UNK for the fall semester.

“In a recent survey of current UNK students, the top reasons for taking summer school were to reduce class loads in the fall and to shorten the time to graduation,” Schipporeit said. “Both are excellent incentives to check out summer class offerings.”

Students who want to enroll for the summer, or who have questions about the process, can contact the UNK Office of Registration and Records for assistance by calling: 308.865.8527 or e-mail: unkregistrar@unk.edu.

Among the General Studies classes available for the June 6-July 1 Summer Session are courses in economics, English, philosophy, speech, geography, history, math, physics and sociology. During the July 5-July 28 session, courses in Spanish, biology, chemistry, statistics, psychology, physical education and women’s studies are offered in addition to those already listed.

The idea of suggesting that incoming freshmen take a summer course before the fall semester is an idea that grew out of a Summer School Task Force meeting. Members of that task force, which was convened by Schipporeit, included the associate deans of each of the colleges.

“The general idea surfaced during a brainstorming session,” Schipporeit said, as did the idea for a four-day week. Rather than attending classes daily, Monday – Friday, students will attend Monday – Thursday for longer periods of time to ensure that the course meets for the full number of required hours.

“A four-day instructional week during the summer is very popular,” she said. “It allows students to take classes in a more focused format and yet still have time for a long weekend to work or play.”

Students receiving postcards this week are from the following 29 Nebraska communities: Alda, Amherst, Axtell, Bertrand, Bloomington, Elm Creek, Elwood, Franklin, Funk, Gibbon, Grand Island, Heartwell, Holdrege, Johnson Lake, Kearney, Lexington, Loomis, Mason City, Miller, Minden, Overton, Pleasanton, Ravenna, Riverdale, Shelton, St. Libory, Upland, Wilcox and Wood River.