Peralta College Foundation Center

Congratulations to our founder Deborah J. Green-Boone on being selected as a 2008 Universal Sisters Honoree.

Deborah Green-Boone, the founder and CEO of the National Women of Colors Cancer Foundation, which is headquartered in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, is a breast cancer survivor, diagnosed in 2001.

Deborah is known by many for her enthusiastic energy, drive, and determination. She is someone willing to learn, and always willing to share and use her expertise to teach and motivate anyone around her.

Seven years ago, the National Women of Colors Cancer Foundation (NWCCF), initiated an outreach program entitled “Pampering the Spirit of Survivors.” This program enables NWCCF to assist recent survivors and their caregivers who are facing challenges associated with their post treatment status.

Upon identifying an individual for pampering, NWCCF delivers a special “Pampering the Spirit” basket, which in addition to monthly “thinking of you cards,” contains an assortment of items paid for by NWCCF and/or sponsors.

Flowers are sent twice a year, and if necessary, and when funds are available from grants and donations, NWCCF will treat survivors and their caregivers in a social outing, and/or provide small grant support to help survivors ease into their new traumatic life. Daily, Deborah demonstrates a strong will to enjoy life, and a dedicated passion for helping people in personal distress.

Deborah Green-Boone is the daughter of Richard (deceased) and Viola L. Green. She is the mother of Leroy L. Boone, Jr. (deceased) Malinda L. Boone and Danette M. Boone. Deborah caters to her 15 grandchildren, and is a member of the Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.

Deborah is a high-risk taker, willing to risk failure in order to succeed. She has a creative mind and expressive personality. Deborah is elegant in her dress, and approaches people in a warm and friendly manner. She encourages people to do their best, and is always available to hear what they have to say. Whether Deborah is the leader or one of the followers, Deborah is an inspirational team player.

As members of NWCCF we are proud to say that for the last seven years, we have become best friends and colleagues.

Universal Sisters is a signature health program of the National Speaking of Women’s Health Foundation. Universal Sisters is dedicated to educating women of color about the significance of preventive health care.

Universal Sisters events provide a full day of pampering and unparalleled camaraderie while delivering valuable health education information in a fun and uplifting program.

Please support the National Women of Colors Cancer Foundation and Universal Sisters from 11:45AM -1:00PM Saturday, April 5th held at Northern Kentucky Convention Center, One West Rivercenter Blvd, Covington Kentucky

If you are a student who is not a resident of a European Union country, then there are certain requirements you must know about in order to attend foundation courses at a United Kingdom facility. Here is a general outline of those standards that must be met at most educational institutions offering degree programmes to foreign nationals.

Government Requirements

Any international student wishing to attend a school in the UK must obtain the appropriate visa. New this year to the process is a points system instituted by the government.

Tier 4 is the level of points applicable to students. As part of their visa application, prospective students must include the sponsor license number of a properly accredited and licensed university. Be sure you have this number in place before submitting your visa application.

University Requirements

First and foremost you will be required to have a minimum number of General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSE). Usually these must include courses in English and Mathematics, for any number of degree programmes, although there are some equivalency standards which may apply in your specific case. Some universities will also ask for a certificate of your secondary school completion.

Many times there is a minimum age requirement, as well. Most universities accepting international students ask that students are at least 17 years old. This is no doubt due to a certain level of maturity required to attend an institutioan of higher learning in a foreign land.

For students whose first language is other than English, an optimal score on the International English Language Testing System is a must. Some universities offer their own internal testing system if this requirement has not been met. Support for further study in the English language is usually provided by the university foundation course.

About University Foundation Courses

University foundation courses (UFCs) are designed to give a student unfamiliar with certain concepts and terminology the opportunity to develop a further understanding and the necessary skills to complete the coursework for various degrees. A UFC generally lasts three to four terms and replaces the matriculation requirement that students reach A level to register for courses and begin their academic career.

There are certain core modules which will be taught in a UFC. These modules will relate directly to a student’s proposed degree coursework. Instruction is usually accomplished via traditional university lectures, tutorials, group studies, and individual coursework. End of course examinations will determine the student’s final mark.

Students who complete the foundation programme must do so with a minimum acceptable grade and the expectation that English language skills will have been further developed.

For students living outside the EU who wishes to attend a university in the UK, taking university foundation courses is an excellent way to fast track to degree coursework. These classes teach more than just the basics; they provide an extended orientation into the country itself and a way for foreign nationals to feel welcomed and accepted before plunging directly into studies.

Writing is a quickly learned skill for those who have a strong desire. Within a year or two, most writing students are ready to charge into the future fully prepared.

But what writing course to choose becomes the question. Take it from one who has tried all the shortcuts and found there were none – you will save yourself time and grief if you will begin at the beginning. Writing courses are an investment, and you are worth the time and money it takes to reach your goal.

The writing course you should choose depends not on what talents you have, not on what experience you have, not on what education you have, but mostly on what knowledgeable level of writing foundation you have. More than likely, you will already have some foundation, but it will have holes in it. That is to say, you will know some things, and not others. In such a case, determine your lowest point, or “hole”, if you will, and begin there.

For example, if you have problems with punctuation, you should start with a Basic Review class. There you will learn how and when to use the proper punctuation, and some of the most common basics. This is an excellent place for older students to begin, as they often need such a brush-up course.

If you are good with English and you have the punctuation skills down pat, you may want to begin in Mechanics of Writing. There you will learn basic sentence structures, foundational writing rules and common mistakes to avoid. This is another good brush-up course.

If you’re up for the challenge of deeper writing rules and more in-depth assignments, it sounds like you’re ready for Creative Writing 101. This is a great class for those who are interested in cross-writing (that is, writing for more than one genre instead of finding one niche and staying in it). Creative Writing will teach you foundational rules of writing, how to write a snappy first paragraph, and will take you into deeper steps with more writing practice. This is an intermediate class.

Non-Fiction writing is for students in the intermediate class. It will teach you how to write for magazines and newspapers. It’s a very good step for intermediates because non-fiction writing pays better than anything else.

Do you like to write stories? Then Short Story writing is the class for you. However, it is also an intermediate class. You should know the rules of English, have good sentence structure, and practice the basic rules of writing before you attempt this course.

If you like to write children’s stories, you would love Writing for Children, but there again, it is an intermediate class. Writing for children is not easier than writing for teens or adults. It can, in fact, be harder, so be sure you have a good foundation before attempting this class. Be prepared with proper English, and the basic rules of writing.

If you are into fantasy writing, you will love Fantasy World. Have you wondered how to invent those far away places you see in your mind? This is the class for you. It is an intermediate class, so be sure you get your foundational courses first. Science-Fiction writing is coming soon. Possibly in the next term.

If you are an advanced student, Wordsmithing is the class for you. There you will learn writing skills that no other class teaches. This is the class that will explain how other authors can string words together in an artistic style. It will teach you to recognize things like assonance, consonance, asyndeton, and many more little known techniques so that you can apply it to your own writing. This is the final stop on how to jazz your writing and edit it with snappy styles and techniques. Wordsmithing is a unique class in that it can be at the beginning of your career, or the end. For me, it was the technique that put me over the top.

If you wonder if you need a certain class to advance to a higher level of learning, the chances are, you DO. Your subconscious is telling you your foundation isn’t complete. Don’t challenge yourself with more advanced classes. You need all the rules of writing in order to succeed. Skipping ahead usually means having to return to a lower class at a later time to pick up what you missed.

When you have your foundation and pass through the various stages in order, the advanced classes will blend and mesh all your learning experiences into one vision. I can’t reiterate this strongly enough – get your foundation first. Start at the bottom and learn every single rule. You’ll save yourself grief in the future.