The Wayne State University Office of Undergraduate Admissions has partnered with Burton International Academy’s counseling department to adopt its middle school wing.

The university will provide mentors to eighth grade students, as well as college and career information, field trips to WSU’s campus, parent meetings, and classroom visits for Burton’s graduating middle school students for the 2013-2014 school year.

“Having support from Wayne State is helpful for the students,” said Micah Shannon, a Burton International graduate who will attend Cass Technical High School in the fall. “It’s inspiring. This will help them with their education by showing them what college courses are like.”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Tuesday, June 18 at Burton International to celebrate the wing’s official opening. Wayne State representatives, school and district officials, students, parents, and community members were all in attendance.

LaJoyce Brown, associate director of recruitment and outreach for WSU, offered words of encouragement to seventh and eighth grade students during the event.

“Success comes before work only in the dictionary,” Brown said. “I encourage you to strive for excellence, do your best in the classroom, dream big and know that Wayne State University is excited to be a part of your future so that you can be all that you can be.”

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering more than 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 29,000 students.