Running head: CAPSTONE PROJECT PROPOSAL 1

Capstone Project Proposal

Rota L. Knott

Wilmington University
CAPSTONE PROJECT PROPOSAL 2

Capstone Project Proposal

For my capstone project, I propose to develop a college access program for the Somerset

County Local Management Board, Inc. (SCLMB), a non-profit organization that acts as a local

coordinating and planning agency for programs that serve children, youths, and families in

Somerset County, Md. The mission of the SCLMB is “to promote a safe, healthy, and stable

environment for all Somerset County children and families by achieving a comprehensive system

of education, health, and human services through public and private interagency collaboration.”

The SCLMB’s programming typically focuses on children birth through eighth grade and their

parents. However, the organization identified youth unemployment, and college and career

readiness as priority focus areas as part of its 2016 Community Needs Assessment process.

Type and Scope of Project

The project will include an assessment of college access and career readiness for

Somerset County youth, including updating the SCLMB’s related needs assessment data. The

scope of work will include identification of existing college and career readiness programs,

evaluation of service gaps, and review of evidence-based programs for potential implementation.

Program development will include construction of a problem-specific logic model, identification

of desired outputs and outcomes, and performance measures that illustrate program success. The

project deliverable is an actionable college access program proposal for use in the submission of

applications to potential agency and philanthropic funders.

Project Development

The project will begin with data collection and assessment around the issue of college

access. Data in areas such as youth employment, school completion, levels of educational

attainment, and child poverty will be retrieved from sources like the U.S. Census Bureau,
CAPSTONE PROJECT PROPOSAL 3

Maryland State Department of Education, Somerset County Public Schools, and the Department

of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation. Data collection methods include online research of agency

databases, as well as specific requests for additional information directly from agencies. Surveys

will be distributed at two community outreach events in Somerset County to collect data directly

from youths. Information on existing college access programs will be collected via an electronic

survey of community agencies. The survey will seek information on programs in place at those

agencies, as well as other programs to which the agency refers clients.

Data will be presented to the Somerset Outreach, Access, and Resources (SOAR)

Coalition for Youth and Families for review and recommendations. The mission of SOAR is to

foster collaboration among key community and government stakeholders to support prevention

and early intervention initiatives that broaden the scope of services available to youth and

families. Additionally, other Maryland Local Management Boards will be contacted for

information regarding college access programs operating within their jurisdictions. The project

will include researching the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs, the College Board,

National College Access Network, and other applicable organizations for models that could be

implemented successfully in Somerset County.

I will present the project deliverable to the SCLMB for approval and consideration as part

of its fiscal year 2019 programmatic and funding priorities.

Target Population

The target population for my capstone project is low-income youths who are ages 16 to

21 and enrolled as high school juniors or seniors in Somerset County Public Schools. Justice

system-involved youth and first-generation college students and will receive priority

consideration for program participation.

CAPSTONE PROJECT PROPOSAL 4

Project Duration

My capstone project will be completed and prepared for implementation by the close of

Spring 2018 block II semester on May 6, 2018. I anticipate data collection and evaluation to be

performed and completed during Spring 2018 block I semester, with program development

taking place during Spring 2018 block II semester.

Project Participation

Because my host agency is also my current place of employment, I will assume the lead

role on development of a college access program for the SCLMB. Completing my capstone

project and preparing it for implementation by the organization will require close collaboration

with the host agency’s Board of Directors and staff, as well as numerous outside agencies, to

facilitate data collection and program development. Throughout the project, I will work closely

with the staff of Somerset County Public Schools and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore,

which will be partners in implementation of a college access program for local youths.

Project Goals

The primary goal of my capstone project is create an actionable college access program

that supports higher education for low-income youth who are justice-involved or first-generation

college students. The long-term goal is to increase the level of educational attainment of

residents of Somerset County, Md.

Project Benefits to Host Agency

The SCLMB will benefit from my capstone project by having an actionable program plan

in place to address the need for college access-related supportive services for a population of

high school-aged youth that it does not traditionally serve. The organization will be able to use

the product of my capstone project to seek funding and implement a college access program.
CAPSTONE PROJECT PROPOSAL 5

Additionally, data collected during the project development will be useful to the SCLMB as part

of an update to its community needs assessment in 2018.

Project Supervision by Host Agency

Mrs. Sheila Warner, supervisor for the Somerset County office of the Maryland

Department of Juvenile Services and a member of the Board of Directors for the Somerset

County Local Management Board, Inc., will act as the host agency supervisor for my capstone

project. Mrs. Warner is not my current supervisor. Attached as Exhibit A, please find, is Mrs.

Warner’s resume′.

Her contact information is:

Sheila Warner, case management program supervisor

Department of Juvenile Services, Somerset County

Sheila.warner@maryland.gov

12155 Elm Street, Suite B

Princess Anne, MD 21853

Phone: 410-845-4685

Fax: 410-845-4690
CAPSTONE PROJECT PROPOSAL 6

Exhibit A

Sheila T. Warner
Educated in Somerset County Public Schools
Graduated from Salisbury University, BA in Psychology

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Revco Drug Store
Queen Anne’s County Board of Education:
Home teacher/tutor
Counselor for “At-risk” youth

Queen Anne’s County Recreation & Parks:

Project Outreach for “At-risk” youth

Wicomico County Board of Education”

Home teacher/tutor

Maple Shade Youth and Family Services:

Home teacher/tutor

Maryland Department of Juvenile Services:

Ocean City Summer Project Counselor
Ocean City Summer Project Lead Worker
Case Management Specialist, Snow Hill
Case Management Program Supervisor
Snow Hill
Princess Anne

VOLUNTEER/COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Rockawalkin United Methodist Church

Sunday School Teacher
Prayer Team
Church Committees as needed
Captain: Rockawalkin for Relay Team
Wicomico County Relay for Life