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Issue #19
October 2011
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Cambodian Students and Parents Learn How to Get an Early Start for College During Fair

The Journey-To-Success, college fair for Cambodian and Southeast Asian communities took place on Saturday, Oct 8 at CSU Long Beach.

Approximately 250 middle, high school and community college students and parents learned about how to prepare early for college and became familiar with CSU Mentor, a website that allows students to apply for admission to any of the CSU 23 campuses.

Parent Empowerment

Parents shared their experiences and heard about the relevance of college to life in the United States, job satisfaction and giving back to the community. They also received tips on how to help their children meet their educational goals.

Words from Those Who Have Mastered the Game

A group of Cambodian professionals who have received degrees in medicine, social work, law, and psychology at universities in the United States shared their feelings of self worth, financial stability, sense of achievement and satisfaction received from their professional careers.

Receiving a higher education degree in Cambodia is a privilege, said MaryAnn Seng a psychologist who works for the Long Beach Unified School District. "In the United States it is an opportunity that is open to you." The professionals agreed that as a result of having higher education they have become more interested in traveling to see the world and enriching their lives.

College Life

Students heard from CSU officials about the habits they need to acquire when getting to college and about the rewards of learning to be independent and responsible for themselves.

"You have to wake up on your own when you live in a college dormitory; you pick your own schedule; you decide what and when to eat and you make things happen," said Corion Lucas, a member of CSULB's student services office. "You enrich your life by being with all kinds of people and you can take classes in another country and get credit for them."

The Cambodian College fair was co-chaired by CSULB Professor Simon Kim and Mary Ann Takemoto, CSULB associate vice president for student services. Both are members of the CSU system's Asian American and Pacific Islander Initiative. Garrett Ashley, CSU vice chancellor for university advancement and Don Para, provost at CSULB welcomed the audience during the plenary session in the University Student Union Ballroom.

View Event Photo Gallery » Visit the CSU AAPI Initiative website.

Journey to Success Cambodian- Sokha Hout and Nikki Ngeknay
Sokha Huot (L) from CSU Chancellor's Office poses with CSULB alumna and Cambodian community leader Nikki Ngeknay during the opening ceremony.

CSU Journey to Success Cambodian college fair at CSULB
Middle, high school and community college students get their name tags at the check-in table.

Outey Khuon and Chhany Sak-Humphry at CSU Journey to Success Cambodian FAIR
Chhany Sak-Humphry (r) president, National Association for the Education Advancement of Cambodian, Laotian and Vietnamese Americans, poses with Outey Khuon, a Long Beach Unified teacher and Cambodian language translator.

 
 

Long Beach Middle and High School Students Win MESA Engineering Competition

MESA Championship Winners 2011

MESA competition champs from Hudson K-8 School and Poly High pose with civic and education leaders after receiving their trophies and certificates of commendation.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, and CSULB President King Alexander joined to congratulate team from Hudson K-8 School who won the 2011 National Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) competition. The Long Beach Poly team also was recognized for winning the 2011 California MESA championship on the high school level.

The two Long Beach teams, made up of female students, competed at preliminary and regional levels before winning the state title and earning the honor of representing California at the MESA National Engineering Design Competition in Washington. Teams had to design a wind energy device and were judged on technical achievement as well as an oral presentation, a written paper and academic display.
 
President Garcia Sworn In as White House Commissioner on Education
Mildred Garcia

CSU Dominguez Hills President Mildred Garcia was sworn in as a member of the Presidential Commission on Education of Hispanic Americans on Oct. 6.

The Commission is composed of 30 members, appointed by President Obama, who have relevant experience or represent specific sectors in Education.

Shakira Colombian singer Shakira also was sworn in as a member of the Commission. The singer has created three foundations that help provide education to poor children in Colombia, the United States and Haiti.
 
 

California Dream Act: Undocumented Students Become Eligible for State Financial Aid

Undocumented students who have attended high school in California for at least three years and received a high school diploma or its equivalent will be eligible for state-funded financial aid starting Jan. 1, 2013. The legislation, AB 131, was proposed by Assembly Member Gil Cedillo.

Another bill, AB 194, also approved recently, provides priority class registration for former foster youth at the CSU, the University of California and the California Community Colleges until 2017.

Both bills were supported by the CSU.

 

CSU's Fall 2012 Student Application Period Opens

First-time freshmen and community college transfers intending to enroll at CSU campuses in the fall of 2012 are encouraged to apply no later than Nov. 30, 2011.

Most campuses will stop accepting applications then because of high demand from college-bound students, the continuing decline in state funding and program impaction, which means that a campus has more applicants than available slots.

 

Upcoming College Events and Fairs

  • October 22
    Es El Momento
    Latino College Fair
    CSU Dominguez Hills

  • November 5
    AAPI Journey To Success
    Vietnamese, Filipino
    CSU Fullerton

  • February 4
    AAPI Journey To Success
    Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese Filipino
    Cal State Los Angeles

  • February 12
    Chancellor Reed launches CSU Super Sunday (Location TBA)

  • February 19
    Super Sunday, Partner Churches in Northern California

  • February 26
    Super Sunday, Partner Churches in Southern California
 
5,000 Attend CSU San Bernardino College Fair

Telemundo Anchor Jose Diaz Balart at the LEAD ollege Fair - CSU San BernardinoTelemundo anchor Jose Diaz Balart speaks with attendees to the Latino Education Fair at CSUSB.

 

About 5,000 parents, children and educators jammed Cal State San Bernardino's Santos Manuel Student Union on Saturday Oct. 1 for an education fair aimed at increasing the number of Latinos who attend college.

The event was organized by the Latino Education Advocacy Days (LEAD) network headed by CSUSB Professor Enrique Murillo.

       
 

Questions, ideas or comments about editorial content, e-mail Clara Potes-Fellow Clara Potes-Fellow
cpotes-fellow@calstate.edu
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