Title III News
HAPPY
NEW
YEAR
A Message from the Title III Director…
Savannah State University’s Title III Office would like to
welcome everyone back and I hoped that each of you had a
delightful break. We are excited
about the New Year and all the
exciting things that are planned for
this grant year.
As a reminder, the Title III program
provides funds to improve and
strengthen
academic
quality,
institutional
management,
fiscal
stability, and student services. In
addition, the Title III program at SSU
Dedra N. Andrews:
is designed to assist the university in
Title III Director
strengthening its infrastructure, ensuring
equal access to education, promoting
educational excellence and being accountable to our
stakeholders . Title III continues to support “One SSU” Service, Strength, and Unity in all that we do..
Table of Content
Message from
Director
1
New Title III
Employees
2
Forensic Science
2
Financial Literacy
3
STEM 360 F.I.R.S.T
LEGO League
4
Reminders
5
This grant cycle (October 2014–September 2015), Title III is
funding 16 activities via two Title III grants which facilitate and
support the achievement of student academic success,
technology integration, student outreach, and academic
building renovation (to name a few).
I hope you find this newsletter interesting and informative. Stay
tuned for more exciting things happening in the Title III
Department!
January 2015
Volume 7, Issue 1
Welcome New Title III Employees
We would like to welcome one new employee and one new Activity Director to the Title III family. We
know that they will be a great asset to our Title III team.
Loretta Watson started on October 22nd as
the Financial Literacy Coordinator for the
Development of a Student Financial Literacy
Program Activity.
Dr. Felicia Bell (Assistant Professor of History
and Director of Honors Program) started October
1st as the Activity Director for the newly funded
Honors Program Activity.
Forensic Science Mock Crime Scene
The “Forensic Science Program Development” activity (Dr. Karla Sue
Marriot) and students in Forensic Science class (FSCI 4401) were given
the opportunity to experience processing a crime scene and collecting and
analyzing evidence. Students completed necessary instrumental and chemical analyses as well as
conducted general investigative procedures relevant to a chosen topic.
The Mock Crime Scene project was titled “Crime Scene Reconstruction: Blunt
Force Trauma Blood Spatter Analysis”. The main purpose of this laboratory
experiment was to reconstruct a scenario involving a victim who had
experienced an injury from blunt force trauma. Students took into consideration
the victim and perpetrator height as well as the type of weapon used and the
required measurements. Outcome varied due to the participating student’s
dimensions.
This experiment was performed by a team of five (5) students of which four (4)
are forensic science majors and one (1) criminal
justice major. The experiments were performed and developed by students with
instructor guidance in the Mock Crime Scene lab located in Hubert Technology
Building-D, room 440.
For additional information on the Mock Crime Scenes or the Forensic Science
Program Development Activity contact Dr. Karla Sue Marriott at ext. 4454.
Bridging the Gap with
Financial Literacy
The “Development of a Student Financial Literacy Program” (Edward Jolley) goal is to
provide students with information, resources, and materials to be financially successful.
Financial Literacy is the knowledge gained to employ the most efficient and effective money
management practices. The Financial Literacy Program will provide information and
resources to students, faculty, and staff that cover the following topics through iGrad,
workshops, and seminars:

Loan Management and Student Loan Consolidation

Budgeting

Credit and Credit Cards

Identity/Fraud Protection

Scholarship Information
A recent study (Forbes.com, July 2014) highlighted the huge gap in the financial literacy
among high school students but it also revealed that the same issues were found among
students who are attending higher education institutions as well. Financial Literacy programs
are becoming more popular at higher education institutions to fill the gap between limited
federal funding and over-borrowing of student loans.
Each semester students are entering college with very limited federal funding. Parents,
relatives and friends are not able to assist because they are financially strapped as well. In
turn, this is causing students to spend thousands of dollars on their education leaving them
to question whether they will ever get a return on their education investment. Today more
than ever, students are borrowing even more and are earning less as they complete college.
According to a government data analysis by financial aid experts at Edvisors, the class of
2014 graduated with an average student loan debt of $33,000. As the Wall Street Journal
points out, “Even after adjusting for inflation, that’s nearly double the amount borrowers had
to pay back 20 years ago.” Savannah State University is committed to bridging the gap
between funding woes and massive student loan debt.
For additional information on Financial Literacy contact Loretta Watson at ext. 4005.
Farrington, Robert. 2014. Financial Literacy Gap Costs College Graduates Thousands. Forbes.com 07/14/2014
STEM 360 &
F.I.R.S.T. LEGO
League Competition
The “STEM 360” activity (Patrick Dean) hosted its annual F.I.R.S.T. LEGO League
(FLL) Regional Competition on December 6, 2014 at Oglethorpe Charter School in
Savannah, Georgia. The FLL is designed to stimulate students' interest in science and
technology while teaching them valuable employment and life skills. By embracing the
core values participants learn that friendly competition and mutual gain are not
separate goals, and that helping one another is the foundation of teamwork.
There were over three-hundred and fifty (350) students, parents, educators,
volunteers, and STEM 360 staff that attended the competition. A total of twenty (20) teams participated in
this year’s LEGO League competition from three different counties (Bulloch, Camden, and Chatham). Each
team had 8-10 students ranging from 9-14 years old. This year’s theme for the competition was “ World
Class Learning Unleashed”. Each team had to create/design an innovative solution that adds value to
society by improving something that already exists, using something that exists in a new way, or inventing
something completely new .
The full-day competition included Project Design, Robot Design, Core Value interviews, Robot games, and
magical activities by Savannah’s on Magic Marc who served as the MC for the competition. Three (3) teams
were crowned Champions. Many other awards were given out as well.
Champion Awards
1st Place
2nd Place
3rd Place
Robo Rams
Clever Team Name
Robo Hawks
St. Peter the Apostle Catholic School,
The STEM Academy @ Bartlett,
May Howard,
Savannah, GA
Savannah, GA
Savannah, GA
Project Awards
Best Research
Best Innovative Solution
Best Presentation
Trinity Tech II
Fiddler Crabs
Gatorbots
Trinity Christian School,
Isle of Hope,
Ester F. Garrison,
Statesboro, GA
Savannah, GA
Savannah, GA
Robot Design Awards
Best Mechanical Design
Best Programming
Best Strategy & Innovation
Pig Bros
Wildcats
Raider 4-H’ers
The STEM Academy @ Bartlett,
Windsor Forest Elementary,
Bacon County 4-H
Savannah, GA
Savannah, GA
Core Value Awards
Best Gracious Professionalism
Best Teamwork
Best Inspiration
Hesse Bears
Trinity Tech I
Crusaders
Hesse K-8,
Trinity Christian School,
St. Francis Xavier Catholic School,
Savannah, GA
Statesboro, GA
Brunswick, GA
For additional information on the First Lego
League or the STEM 360 Program contact
Patrick Dean at ext. 3295 or go to:
http://www.firstlegoleague.org
Budget

All Activity Directors should be keeping track of their money spent throughout the year. By
the end of January, at least 33% of activity funds should have been spent or encumbered.
Requests

All Title III Travel Authorizations, Expense Statements, and Check Requests must have
their Activity Director’s signature before submitting to the Title III Office.

All Title III travel requests should be received in the Title III office 10 days prior to the travel
date.

Student workers cannot be hired without prior approval from Title III. All student contracts
should be submitted 10 days prior to their start date.
Contracts

All Contracts should be submitted at least 10 days prior to the date of requested services listed
on the contract. This allots enough time for approval and signatures form Legal Counsel and
Vice Presidents (if applicable). The end date should NOT extend past September 30, 2015.
Title III Office

The Annual Performance Reports (APR) will be submitted to the Department of Education
by February 2nd for both Title III B and SAFRA grants (2013-2014).

Quarterly Reports (Oct. 2014-Dec. 2014) were due to the Title III office on January 10th.
Equipment Inventory Reports are to be submitted if items were purchased and received
during 1st Quarter.

All Title III related reports should be submitted on time. Failure to comply could result in
funds being held until all reports have been received. (This includes Time and Efforts).

One on ones are available if needed with the Title III Director, please contact
Mrs. Swain-Gilliard for availability and to schedule your visit.