NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release               CONTACT: Sarah Idowu or Natalie Rule

7.1.08                                                                       651.917.3525

ST. PAUL NATIVE COMMITTED TO COLLEGE ACCESS

Ashley Booker Joins Staff of Admission Possible

ST. PAUL, Minn. – St. Paul native, Ashley Booker, has joined the staff of nonprofit organization Admission Possible where she will serve as a Program Coordinator overseeing the college preparatory coaching of low-income high school students in the Twin Cities, including at her alma mater Humboldt High School.  Booker, who started with Admission Possible on June 16, 2008, graduated from the University of Minnesota and is currently working on a Master’s degree at Augsburg College.

Biography and Photo for Ashley and the full Admission Possible leadership team are available at http://www.admissionpossible.org/Full_Time_Staff

Scroll down for Audio File

Admission Possible works to make college admission possible for promising low-income students in the Greater Twin Cities by providing after-school college prep programming to 1,300 juniors and seniors at 17 public high schools.  Each group of 30-40 students has their own full-time coach, and each coach reports to an Admission Possible Program Coordinator.  Booker will manage six coaches during the 2008-09 academic year.

“I have seen the racial and socioeconomic disparities that exist in higher education firsthand,” said Booker.  “This work is truly my passion, and I hope that one day these disparities will be a thing of the past, and that all students will have an equal opportunity to build a bright future.”

Jim McCorkell, founder and CEO of Admission Possible said, “Ashley brings both a personal and professional interest in equality and education to the role, as well as demonstrated experience in the classroom and in policy research.  Her idealism and passion will bring additional energy to our team and be an inspiration to our students.” 

Prior to joining Admission Possible, Booker worked as a pathway facilitator for EMID After-School Programs and as a classroom assistant in numerous Twin Cities schools.  In addition, Booker has spent time as a research assistant for the Minnesota Population Center and interned at the University of Minnesota and the Council on Crime and Justice. 

Booker is active in the Twin Cities community and has volunteered her time with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, served on the Transitions Initiative Group of St. Paul Public Schools, has been a Study Buddy for Commonbond Communities, and was a participant in the 3M Science Training Encouragement Program.

After graduating from St. Paul’s Humboldt High School in 2001, where Admission Possible programming launched in 2002, Booker graduated from the University of Minnesota as a President’s Distinguished Scholar with a degree in Sociology of Law, Criminology and Deviance and is currently working to complete a Master’s in Education at Augsburg College in the Spring 2009. 

ABOUT ADMISSION POSSIBLE

Admission Possible is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping promising low-income high school students prepare for and earn admission to college.  Admission Possible works to make college possible by providing their students with four free critical services: (1) ACT and SAT test preparation; (2) intensive assistance in preparing college applications; (3) help in obtaining financial aid; and (4) guidance in the transition to college. Admission Possible currently serves 1,300 students at 17 high schools in the metro area, and has helped 98 percent of its students earn admission to college since its founding in 2000. 

###

 

 Ashley_Booker_on_joining_Admission_Possible_7.1.08.WMA