Many incoming freshmen dread feeling lost and naive. Those feelings may be even more overwhelming for minority students entering a predominately white university like Iowa State.

Coordinators of the Carver Academy hope the on-campus experiences its participants receive will help them feel confident and ready to face the semester.

That is the goal of the Carver Academy, according to Rafael Rodriguez, director of minority student affairs at ISU.

“[Carver Academy] provides an early collegiate experience for the students so by the time fall arrives, they will feel better prepared for a predominantly white institution of 25,000 students,” Rodriguez said.

“It’s a seven-week [summer] intensive academic program designed for selected minority freshmen,” he said.

To enroll in the program, the students must already be accepted to ISU. They also have to belong to one of the American ethnic groups: African-American, Latino, Asian-American or American Indian.

The first day of the Carver Academy program this summer was June 22, and students attended their ISU orientation the week before.

The students live in the residence halls and elect their own government within the group.

They each take three classes: English 104 or 105, Library 160 and a math course (usually 140, 142, 150 or 165). Those students who do not need math in their majors can take a political science class.

The grades count toward the students’ permanent records.

They also receive educational opportunities outside the classroom, he said. There are weekly seminars with presenters from different areas of ISU, such as dean of students, financial aid, study abroad and career development.

Rodriguez said the experience is beneficial for the participants.

“Not only are they doing academic work, but it also provides a transition time for them,” he said.

Valerie James, head resident assistant for the program, wishes she could have participated in Carver Academy when she came to ISU as a freshman.

“That’s all I keep saying — I wish I had this opportunity,” she said. “If I would have known about it, I would have tried to be part of it.”

She wanted to get involved with the program, so last summer she became an RA.

“I had heard about the program from past Carver Academy students and I thought it sounded like a good program,” she said.

Rodriguez said a lot of the other activities are geared toward helping students find out about the resources available to them.

“They don’t just see themselves as that lonely, lost freshman,” he said. “They are able to assist other students and not feel intimidated.”

Half of the students in Carver Academy are from Iowa, and the rest are from out of state, Rodriguez said.

The program is designed for minorities to improve the currently poor retention rate at ISU, he said.

Of the 24 students enrolled in Carver Academy in the summer of 1995, 15 are still at ISU. For the summer of 1996, 32 of 41 enrolled, and 48 of 49 enrolled last year.

“That’s showing that it is helping maintain these students at a higher percentage,” Rodriguez said. He added that the Carver Academy students’ grade point averages also tend to be a little bit higher than other minorities who do not participate in the program.

“The other beauty of the program is it’s university-wide,” he said. All the colleges of ISU are represented by the participants.

The program originated in the 1970s and was called the Advanced Preparation Program.

It eventually became the Summer Enrichment Program. A few years ago, the name was changed to Carver Academy. The Carver portion of the name was derived from the George Washington Carver legacy, Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said the new name more accurately reflects the selection of the students.

“[The previous names] almost sound developmental or remedial,” he said. “These are academically strong students already accepted to the university.”

To participate, minority students must fill out an application and answer a few essay questions.

There are a maximum of 60 slots in the program, but Rodriguez said some students usually end up canceling due to conflicts.