University of Virginia Library

New Assistant To Ern
Will Work Part-Time

By Rod MacDonald
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Fred T. Stokes

To Aid In Recruitment Of Disadvantaged High School Students

Fred T. Stokes, a University
graduate student in education, has
been hired by the University to
assist part-time in the recruiting of
"disadvantaged high school juniors
and seniors interested in higher
education," effective January, the
University announced yesterday.

Mr. Stokes has been working
half-time in the University's office
of placement as an assistant for
training, supervising the program of
special training and education for
the disadvantaged employees
seeking promotions. He will be
leaving that post to assume his new
one.

His new assignment will be as an
assistant to Dean Ernest Ern, not
assistant dean, working on the
applications for admissions of the
students culturally deprived who
apply to the University.

"Much of my work will be
directed towards recruiting black
students," Mr. Stokes told The
Cavalier Daily yesterday. "I will be
going out to various high schools all
across the state and working with
the various guidance departments."

Mr. Stokes will still be working
towards his masters degree until
June, he said, although "next
semester I will only be carrying a
six-hour workload." His position as
assistant to the dean will take up
about 20 hours each week, he
noted, but said, "I should he able
to handle it."

"We are fortunate," said Dean
Ern, "that Mr. Stokes is already on
the University staff and thus can
assist us immediately in handling
applications for next year's class."

Mr. Ern said that Stokes'
background and experience,
particularly in secondary schools
with predominant Negro
enrollments, "will enable him to
improve the accuracy of our
evaluations of the academic ability
of applicants and of potential
applicants from deprived
situations."

Mr. Ern said that as part of his
new assignment Mr. Stokes will
study secondary school classes by
working with guidance counselors
to determine the number of
disadvantaged students who, with
or without special "bridge"
programs such as "Upward Bound,"
have the potential to earn college
degrees in the University's highly
competitive academic programs.

Mr. Stokes was optimistic about
his new role, saying "We hope to be
very successful in this area, possibly
tripling the Negro enrollment at the
University soon." Although he
would not disclose his new salary,
he said he hoped to continue in the
job by remaining here after June to
work on his doctorate.

Mr. Stokes, who is 34 years old,
has a B.A. degree in history from
Virginia Union University and a
B.A. degree in education from
Hampton Institute. In addition, he
has done graduate work in
counselling at Virginia
Commonwealth University.

He is currently on leave from
the Richmond Public School
System, where he taught for 14
years. He is married to the former
Helen V. Armstrong, who has a
master's degree in nursing, and has
one daughter, Debra.