The ASTEP organization at Skyline College held a back to school social luncheon on Sept. 7 to kick off the semester. The African-American Success through Excellence and Persistence (ASTEP) is an organization to support students through obtaining an associates degree and transferring to a university of their choice, according to Patricia Deamer, professor of mathematics at Skyline. “ASTEP is an awesome program that is tracking students to help them to a UC, CSU or private school of their choice with a GPA of 3.00 or higher,” said Pauline Wethington, ASTEP counselor. ASTEP was started in 1990, as a collaboration of African-American faculty and staff that addressed recruitment and retention of students, according to Dr. Tony Jackson, director of the program and professor of psychology at Skyline. According to the ASTEP brochure the program also offers students of all ethnicities a learning community and a math academy to provide them guidance and support.”Working for the success African-American students is one of my greatest passion,” Phillys Taylor, professor of speech at Skyline and also a contributor to ASTEP said. “ASTEP means a supportive community to keep a better ration of African American continuing education and overcoming challenges to succeed,” said Rene Garrett a Skyline student on her last semester, then transferring to San Francisco State University. She adds that the program has benefited not only herself but also her daughter and her husband to succeed as well.For more information: www.smccd.edu/accounts/skyastep or contact Dr. Tony Jackson at 650-738-4156 or e-mail him at [email protected]