As a result of the creation of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between the district and Prairie View A&M University, the college will now offer automatic acceptance to the top 25% of each MISD high school and provide three $5,000 scholarships to each school, every year.

“We wanted it to be more than just this agreement between individuals but something truly unique to further strengthen the terms of the agreement and broaden the opportunities for the students,” Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at PVAMU Felecia Nave said.

College and district officials made the announcement to students and signed the agreement on Nov. 18, in the school’s PAC.

“It was a welcoming to Prairie View and us thanking them for the opportunity they’re going to give our school,” senior Nathaniel Collins, who helped with the event, said.

The goal of the agreement is to assist students in the movement from high school toward their college education.

“(Darrell) Sneed came down and met with our academic readers and presidents to determine if there was a way that we could put together an agreement that would expand opportunities for students in the (Mansfield) school district as well as to make a more seamless transition from the district to PVAMU,” Nave said.

Sneed wanted MISD to have more exposure to the college.

“From his experience, students who attend the university have received such a rich academic experience and are going off and doing great things,” Nave said. “He wanted to see was there something that we could come up with that would increase the visibility of the institution within the district so we could provide that opportunity to more students.”

Several people in the community have involvement with the institution, including alumni and current students.

“A lot of our students go to PVAMU and a lot of our administrators and teachers received their degrees from there,” Superintendent Dr. Jim Vaszauskas said. “ They have an honor college that has 100 students and five of those students are Mansfield gradates, so we have a long tradition of sending really great students to Prairie View and we wanted to really try and work with them to provide more opportunities for our students.”

Collins said he is considering PVAMU, which is a historically black university, as an option.

“Prairie View is a great school and when we visited the campus it was really nice,” he said. “They just give a great home atmosphere and a good feeling about education. They have strong values and things that will take you a long way in life.”

Although automatic admission is now granted to the top 25% of each class, students need to maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 and earn a score of 820 on the critical reading and math sections of the SAT or a score of 17 on the ACT.

“There are other things such as your college readiness tests and your GPA requirement but, overall, it opens up our admissions to a broader spectrum of students,” Nave said. “Maybe for one reason or another, you still establish yourself as a strong student who has an interest in an education and want to be at that place that provides it too.”

Each of the MISD high schools will receive three $5,000 scholarships for a total of 15 awarded to the district. The first scholarships awarded will be for eligible students beginning in the fall of 2016.

“The counselors will be working out those details so any student who is interested should see his or her counselor,” Vaszauskas said.

Along with the available scholarships, students will have access to summer programs, early career night visits, as well a chance to visit the campus for the weekend.

“We prepare for (students) transition from high school to college to ensure you’re successful and that you’re graduating within four but no more than six years,” Nave said. “This program allows us to (reach) you very early and often so that by the time you come to PVAMU, you already know who we are and you have a good feel for the campus, the culture (and) the environment but more importantly the expectations so when you get here you have a greater chance for success.”

Vaszauskas said he understands the importance of opportunities for young learners because he was the first from his side of the family to graduate from college.

“I have doors that are open for me because of my education,” he said. “That education opens doors and what we are trying to do is provide opportunities to get in that system, get your education and then the world is waiting for our students.”

Students interested in PVAMU should continue with their research of the college along with take all chances possible to advance with the program.

“It’s a given that you’re going to come and be engaged in a rigorous curriculum for whatever discipline that you select but the things that you can’t always count on and measure are those intangibles (like) the interaction with the professors because we have smaller classrooms,” Nave said. “It’s the campus, environment and community that is beautiful and serene.”

While the district has configured partnerships with Tarrant County College (TCC) and the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), this is PVAMU’s first agreement with an independent school district.

“We’re very pleased that Sneed sought us out and wanted us to be a part of it and just the hospitality that we’ve received since we’ve been here is tremendous so we are extremely excited and look forward to welcoming the students,” Nave said.

Vaszauskas said he hopes the agreement will help additional students have a brighter future.

He said, “The more opportunities that we can provide students, the more chances they have to change their lives.”

Ironically on the same day 50 years prior, all MISD schools were officially integrated.

“I’m so impressed and amazed with our district to come from where we were 50 years ago to where we are as a district now,” Vaszauskas said. “We’re not done yet; there’s more to do. We’re not a perfect world but I’m very proud of where we’ve come.”