Waking up in College: Have an Inspired Higher Education Experience

By Dr. David L. Mount

This powerful book guides us through the tender struggles and silent suffering with an eye toward fi nding a greater inspiration and hope. Dr. Mount has captured a topic that requires ongoing conversation and 21st century strategies. Dr. B.J. Dunn, Founder and CEO of Clinical Enterprises Counseling Center, Montgomery, AL

Waking Up in College integrates the mind, body, and spirit within the college community. This beautiful yet practical book provides a holistic dimension to student performance; this book foundational in reducing higher educational outcomes disparities. Dr. Mount shows important leadership in working to improve college performance. Kathy Townsend, Executive Director, Dorchester Y of The YMCA of Greater Boston

A brilliant piece of work! The author was able to take an everyday subject and turn it into a compelling read that I will recommend to all of my students and colleagues. Professor Michael Canute Lambert, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, School of Social Work at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Dr. David L. Mount drives home the importance of building social capital and mobilizing the energy of feedback. A masterful work full of courage, honesty, and, above all, love. Invaluable for all of us. Michael Clements, Vice President, Community Investment, The Winston-Salem Foundation

This is a must read. This book provides a perfect balance between discussion and real examples. Many themes run through the chapters that are organized around the complexities facing students. Brian Booton, Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity Program Coordinator, Offi ce of Undergraduate Research University of Missouri

The book is so accessible that the reader becomes heard, experienced, and championed. The absorbing chapters are much more than a how to book on coping with college. This book opens the door to all students by promoting self-evaluation and self-acceptance. The coaching and tailored academic guidance provided by Dr. Mount has seeded a higher purpose in me! Maria Isabel Rego (Salem College) Alethea Amponsah (Tufts University) Kara Morrison (Winston-Salem State University)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 30, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469178455

Dr. David L. Mount

Dr. David L. Mount is a treasured social justice advocate, lecturer, writer, community organizer, team builder, professional speaker, and clinical psychologist with specialties in primary care psychology, medical neuropsychology, and medical rehabilitation psychology. Dr. Mount is a sought-after speaker for national meetings and is a winner of mentoring, teaching, and service awards in the states of Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, and North Carolina. He is well regarded for his work on integrating mind-body mental health and framing health disparities as a human rights campaigner. He was an undergraduate student at Alabama State University where he received his BS in psychology and minor in sociology in 1994. From there, he continued his education at Argosy University where he received his MA in clinical psychology and later accomplished his PsyD in clinical psychology in 2001. From 2001 to 2003, Dr. Mount pursued his residency (clinical neuropsychology, neuro rehabilitation psychology) at the University of Missouri–Columbia. He holds several certificates including North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Practicing Psychologists (board certified health service provider in psychology); American Board of Disability Analysts, disability analyst and fellow; National Academy of Neuropsychology, affiliate level status; behavioral medicine (University of Pittsburgh); chronic disease: a focus on health behavior (University of Pittsburgh); and neuroimaging (University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon). Dr. David Mount is the director of community outreach, partnerships, and patient care for the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity, where he promotes health equity advocacy, social justice leadership, research, and community health organizing. Dr. Mount is the founder and national director for Chip-C™.

Book preview

Copyright © 2012 by Dr. David L. Mount.

Library of Congress Control Number:         2012908658

ISBN:                  Hardcover                         978-1-4691-7844-8

                            Softcover                           978-1-4691-7843-1

                            Ebook                                978-1-4691-7845-5

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Contents

PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

THE AUTHOR

Preface

Colleges across the country are in need of a retention pipeline campaign. The reports are alarming regarding college student retention rates. Increasingly, more people are planning to seek some type of higher education experience beyond high school. However, so many students will prematurely end their college education largely due to what is perceived to be the advising/mentoring barrier. Whether you envision earning a certificate and/or degree in technology, criminal justice, computer science, nursing, not-for-profit management, hospitality, psychology, business, social work, political science, engineering, culinary arts, education, or some other certificate and/or degree related program, your dream requires action. Navigating life within the higher education arena is not without its challenges. Being unaware of pitfalls comes at a cost to achieving your longer range goals.

Make no mistake about it; students must enter their higher education experience focused on achieving their best potential and winning from the very start. We must actively explore what it means to win at college and create innovation solutions that will march you toward your goals. A mindfulness-based college education is so much more than just attending class or not. When querying students about their attitude and beliefs concerning taking a course to pass versus succeed, there is much variability in the responses. If we are going to help college students find a purpose for performing at their highest levels, we must understand students in the context of the twenty-first-century realities. The passing versus succeeding question