JLV College CounselingSJSU invites Michelle Obama to speak to first-generation college students
San Jose State University has sent a formal invitation to First Lady Michelle Obama to attend and be the keynote speaker at their inaugural First-Generation Scholarship Luncheon. The event will take place on Feb. 25 in the Student Union Ballroom on the SJSU campus. As an advocate of higher education for all students, including first-generation college students, Michelle Obama is an inspiration to many students at SJSU. According to Amanda Aldama, First Generation College Student Programs coordinator, the White House is currently reviewing the event and the First Lady’s schedule.
In an attempt to get Mrs. Obama’s attention, GENERATE, the First-Generation College Student Program at SJSU, created a video. “We have followed the model of several other campuses who were successful in securing her attendance by making an invitation video,” said Aldama. Their video incorporates SJSU students into a video message Mrs. Obama recorded over a year ago for the “I’m First” project. In the video, Mrs. Obama shares her experience as a first-generation college student, and with every phrase, the SJSU video cuts to a student saying, “I Relate.” Aldama added, “It is our hope that, if this video gets trending, as it did for other campuses, then she may say yes.”
SJSU launched the “I Relate” campaign in 2013 to inform prospective and current students about the achievements of first-generation college students at SJSU. According to the “I Relate” website, more than half of all new Freshman and Transfer students are first-generation college students. GENERATE mission is to “foster connection, belongingness, skills and academic success for the first-generation college students of San Jose State University.” Some the resources GENERATE offers include workshops, campus events, peer mentors, and faculty mentors.
Michelle Obama receives many invitations every year to speak at events such as the SJSU event. Increasing the number of students who attend college has been a goal of the Obama administration since before they took office. An example of Mrs. Obama dedication to education is her “Reach Higher” initiative. The initiative is “to inspire every student in America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school.” Last month, President Barack Obama proposed free community college education for all students. GENERATE, as well as SJSU, is encouraging everyone to view the “I Reach” invitation video in hopes of making it trend to catch the attention of the White House.
CSU to increase graduation rate to 60 percent by 2025
Humboldt State Graduation by Ajay Tallam licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Timothy White, the chancellor of the California State University, introduced his Graduation Initiative 2025 at the State of The CSU address last week in Long Beach. The new goal is to increase graduation rates to 60 percent by 2025. The previous Graduation Initiative, which was launched in 2009 and ends this year, was to increase CSU’s graduation rate by eight percent, from 46 percent to 54 percent. Although the numbers will not be finalized until the 2015 commencement, White says The CSU is on track to reach the goal.
The Graduation Initiative 2025 has a total of six goals:
- Increase the six-year graduation rate for first-time freshman to 60 percent.
- Increase the four-year graduation rate for first-time freshman to 24 percent.
- Increase the four-year graduation rate for transfer students to 76 percent.
- Increase the two-year graduation rate for transfer students to 35 percent.
- Close the achievement gap for underrepresented students to seven percent.
- Close the achievement gap for low-income students to five percent.
The Graduation Initiative 2025 outlined many “winning strategies” that the Chancellor’s Office and the 23 CSU campuses will use to reach their goals. Some of the strategies include redesigning courses to incorporate technology, expanding cohort-based learning communities, and expanding programs that foster student engagement such as service learning and study abroad. The CSU also plans to expand the Associate Degree for Transfer program and the number of CourseMatch course offerings. Lastly, the institution wants to build relationships with community colleges and school districts to ensure freshman are prepared for college coursework.
CSU Trustee and California Assembly Speaker Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) called the plan ambitious in a written statement. “I think it’s great CSU is committed to achieving these goals without burdening students and their families with additional fee increases.”
“At the end of the day, we all – the state and the university – share common cause in seeing more students succeed at higher rates, so they can go on to design California’s future,” Chancellor White said. According to the chancellor, CSU undergraduate students will earn one million degrees between now and 2025. Under the Graduation Initiative 2025, The CSU estimates 100,000 more degrees will be earned by the people of California. These graduates will join the already three million CSU graduates who make up one in ten employees in California and one in 20 degree holders in the United States.
Scholarships with March 2015 deadlines
The deadlines for the scholarships that were on this list have passed. To see scholarships that are still accepting applications, visit more recent Scholarship Saturday posts.
Spring 2015 college visit opportunities in Calif.
San Diego State University by Jay Galvin licensed under CC BY 2.0
San Diego State University is just one of the many institutions offering campus visit opportunities this spring.
The spring is a popular time for college visits. In addition to many college bound students visiting colleges during their spring breaks, many institutions offer open house or preview days for prospective students. California has many colleges and quite a few of them are offering large open house events this spring. If students are interested in learning more about a college, a campus visit is the best way to find out if the college feels right for them.
Below is a list of the spring open houses at colleges and universities in California. To learn specific information about the events, such as hours and the schedule of the day, visit the link. If interested, students should register to attend early, as space can be limited at some of the event.
Azusa Pacific University (Azusa, California)
APU Preview – Feb. 5-6, 2015; Mar. 26-27, 2015
Transfer Night – Feb. 11, 2015; Mar. 4, 2015; Apr. 1, 2015; May 13, 2015
Biola University (La Mirada, California)
Biola Bound – Feb. 7-10, 2015; Mar. 7-10, 2015; Apr. 18-21, 2015
Spring Preview Day – Feb. 15-16, 2015
California Baptist University (Riverside, California)
Transfer Day – Feb. 16, 2015
Spring Preview Event for High School Students – Mar. 6, 2015; Mar. 27, 2015
Concordia University-Irvine
Seniors’ Preview Day – Feb. 5-6, 2015
Fine Arts Preview Day – Feb. 21, 2015
Spring Open House – Apr. 18, 2015
Fresno Pacific University
The Encounter – Feb. 24-25, 2015
Saturday Snapshot – Mar. 7, 2015
Holy Names University (Oakland, California)
Discover HNU – Feb. 7, 2015
The Master’s College (Santa Clarita, California)
Mondays @ Master’s – Feb. 16, 2015; Apr. 13, 2015
College View Weekend – Mar. 19-21, 2015
Stampede – Feb. 7, 2015
Menlo College (Atherton, California)
Spring Open House – Mar. 28, 2015
Mills College (Oakland, California)
Transfers Experience Mills – Jan. 30, 2015
Spring Visit Day – Mar. 21, 2015
Pacific Union College (Angwin, California)
College Days – Feb. 12-15, 2015; Apr. 9-12, 2015
Point Loma Nazarene University (San Diego, California)
Transfer Student Preview Day – Jan. 30, 2015
Get to the Point Preview – Mar. 20, 2015
Sunset Tours – Feb. 19, 2015; Mar. 26, 2015; Apr. 23, 2015
San Diego State University
Explore SDSU – Mar. 14, 2015
Simpson University (Redding, California)
Spring Preview Weekend – Mar. 13-14, 2015
University of California, Berkeley
Cal Day – Apr. 18, 2015
University of California, Davis
Picnic Day – Apr. 18, 2015
University of California, Riverside
Highlander Day – Apr. 18, 2015
University of California, Santa Barbara
Spring Insight 2015 – Apr. 11, 2015
University of the Pacific (Stockton, California)
Profile Day – Apr. 11, 2015
Vanguard University (Costa Mesa, California)
Hello VU – Jan. 30, 2015; Feb. 20, 2015; Mar. 13, 2015
Morning VU – Feb. 14, 2015; Mar. 7, 2015; Apr. 11, 2015
Transfer 2 VU – Feb. 18, 2015; Mar. 18, 2015; Apr. 15, 2015
Westmont College (Santa Barbara, California)
M.O.V.E. (Multiculture Overnight Visit Experience) – Apr. 17-18, 2015
William Jessup University (Rocklin, California)
Spring 2015 Preview Day – Feb. 6, 2015
Spring 2015 Transfer Day – Apr. 17, 2015
Although not all California colleges offer preview day events for prospective students in the spring, students are still encouraged to visit. If students are interested in colleges that are not listed above, or cannot make the open house events, students should contact the colleges to set up an individual college visit.
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