Pre-Conference Session

Sunday, November 15, 2009, 1-5PM
The University of Michigan - Rackham Graduate School

Registration will begin at 12:00PM in the Lobby of the Rackham Buildling

The pre-conference session will be an organizational meeting for the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN), an initiative recently announced by Gov. Jennifer Granholm during this year's Governor’s Education Summit .

Why Attend the Pre-Conference?

• Provide feedback and recommendations to the Governor’s Office on areas of focus for MCAN.
• Gain information about national models and centers of excellence.
• Learn about resources available to set up a local college access program.
• Participate in focused discussions on how to promote a college going culture within the State of Michigan.                                              

To view the Pre-Conference agenda, please click here

Pre-conference attendees must register for the conference and pay the appropriate registration fee.

Registration for the November 16 conference is CLOSED. To register for the November 15 Pre-Conference meeting only, please click here

You may reserve your spot for the pre-conference by checking the appropriate box on the online registration form.

For more information on the pre-conference, please e-mail Marie P. Ting maript@umich.edu

 

What is MCAN?

The Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) will provide leadership and support for Michigan’s community-based organizations that provide college access programs, resources, and services to Michigan students.  It will serve as Michigan’s first statewide coordinating body for college access programs.  The initiative will promote postsecondary education participation by supporting (through technical assistance, professional development, and grant opportunities) local college access programs statewide.  These local college access programs may provide any number of resources to students.  These programs should have a particular focus on low-income and first-generation college students. 

MCAN will support access programs by providing leadership, support, advocacy, technical assistance, professional development, shared best practices, MiCAP training, and grant opportunities. 

Please click here for media articles on MCAN.

Michigan College Access Portal (MiCAP)

The Michigan College Access Portal (or MiCAP) will serve as a one-stop-shop for students to plan, apply, and pay for college.  It will also serve as a comprehensive tool for families, counselors, educators, and other college access professionals to use in order to best serve Michigan students.  North Carolina was the first state to implement the portal model as a statewide college access strategy, and many other states have followed North Carolina’s lead, including Tennessee, Georgia, Colorado, Rhode Island, and several others.

The Portal will enable students and their families/counselors to access a number of key functions that will ultimately enable them to access postsecondary education opportunities.  These functions include but are not limited to:

• Career planning tools
• Personal portfolio of high school courses, activities, awards, and test courses which will be auto-populated into online admissions applications
• Information about transferring between Michigan higher education institutions
• A tool to measure progress toward meeting college entrance requirements
• Referrals to local college access programs in the student’s community
• User-friendly profiles of Michigan colleges and universities, including side-by-side comparisons, virtual campus tours, and a matching assistant
• Free ACT test preparation resources
• Ability to submit all college-related documents online, including admissions applications, FAFSA, transcripts, loan applications, etc.
• Opportunity to “ask an expert” on application-related questions
• A tool to search for grant and scholarship opportunities
• Ability to check status of student loans and get financial literacy tips
• A tool to open or access a student’s 529 College Savings Plan Accounts 

For more information on MCAN or MiCAP, please e-mail Brandy Johnson-Faith JohnsonFaithB@michigan.gov, College Access Coordinator, Policy Division, Office of the Governor.