SEP
Alejandro Mancera ’15 receives a certificate for participating in the Summer Enrichment Program.

Summer Enrichment Program Honors Participants

Aug. 24, 2012

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.—Twelve Illinois Wesleyan University students who participated in the Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) 2012 were recognized at a graduation luncheon ceremony on Aug. 15 in the Joslin Atrium of Memorial Center.

SEP is a rigorous 10-week program, open to all IWU minority students, which focuses on three major areas; professional, academic and personal growth of the participants. As a part of the program, the students receive formal professional training, learn from diversity workshops, have an internship and participate in volunteer activities, including a final social service project. This year the students completed a documentary to be shown (TBA) during the academic school year, titled "A Long Way To Go."

Opening remarks were made by George E. Jackson III, director of Multicultural Student Affairs and introductions were given by Wivine Ngongo, SEP vice president and Jennifer Burns, SEP president. Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Karla Carney-Hall also spoke and IWU President Richard F. Wilson gave the closing remarks, in which the president said he is quite proud of the program and what the graduating students go on to do with their lives in terms of growth and leadership.

Five program awards were given to: Ngongo (SEP Intern of the Summer Award); Burns (SEP Student Officer of the Summer Award); Alejandro Mancera (SEP Green Cuisine Award); Jonathan McBride (SEP Mean Green Machine Award); Melissa Ramirez and Jasmin Cole (SEP Excellence Award).

Graduation certificates were given to all participates which are listed below, with their internship placements:

  • Janette Abbasi '14, a psychology major from Chicago, Marcfirst
  • Teresa Banks, '13, a psychology major from Richton Park, Ill., Illinois State University, School of Biological Sciences
  • Jennifer Burns, '15, a music education major from Hoffman States, Ill., City of Bloomington
  • Jasmin Cole, '13, a nursing major from Cincinnati, Ohio, OSF Healthcare
  • Dwayne Howard, '13, an accounting major from Maywood, Ill., The Baby Fold
  • Leeya Jackson, '13, an art major from Detroit, McLean County Arts Center
  • Jiwon Lee, '14, a chemistry major from Hoffman Estates, IWU Biology Department
  • Alejandro Mancera, '15, a physics and mathematics major from Hanover Park, Ill., IWU Physics Department
  • Jonathan McBride, '15, a business administration major from Zion, Ill., Community Cancer Center
  • Wivine Ngongo, '14, a biology major from Normal, Illinois Heart and Lung Foundation
  • Melissa Ramirez, '14, a psychology and Hispanic studies major from Los Angeles, Heartland Head Start
  • Ian Stewart, '15, a music theatre major from Irondale, Ala., Normal Parks and Recreation

Contact: Sherry Wallace (309) 556-3181