Special initiative to encourage the Enrollment of Latino Students in College
About five years ago, Tony Baker announced the creation of a campus called FSU at Ferris State University. Since its beginnings, FSU has received more and more Hispanic students who one way or another arrive there somewhat disoriented regarding the Universities and everything that awaited them there.
It is because of this that, after the analysis of this attitude on several students, Baker decided to create a special program for Latino students. That is how the Center for Latin@ Studies (CLS) was born.
Since 2013, the year it was created, the CLS has become a special space for Latino students to meet one another and work together, and the Promesa Summer Program was created as a result of this effort. The Promesa program works with high school students that come from minority sectors, introduces them to the concept of college while preparing them for their college studies through special classes. The summer program lasts 8 weeks and its aim is, at all times, to help the students prepare for college success, integrate them into the community and prepare them for the rigorousness of college level classes and studying methods.
To be able to be part of this program, students must be enrolled in their last high school year and must have at least a 2,5 GPA. Also, students must have a special recommendation letter from their schools to be able to enroll in the Promesa program.
During its first year, the initiative had 16 students and served only students from the Grand Rapids area. Since then, the number of students has increased and the program includes collaboration with other West Michigan communities and schools, including for example, the West Ottawa Public Schools or Holland Public Schools.
This past summer, more than 60 students enrolled with a success rate of almost. Those students who complete the program successfully will not only be better prepared for college, but they will have earned 9 college credits, at no cost to them, and transferable to most colleges or universities. While Ferris State University runs the program, Promesa participants are not required to attend the university.
It is with the collaboration of area community organizations, area businesses and school districts that the program can be operated successfully, at no cost to its participants.
The program is not only present in the students’ lives during those 8 weeks during the summer, but it actively follows up and works with each student during their senior year in high school. This includes requiring Promesa participants to enroll in a class in their senior year in order to continue working on their goals and objectives and achieve their academic goals and begin thinking about college.
Undoubtedly, the Ferris State University Promesa Summer program helps Latino students to integrate in the most possible natural way to the North American university environment, and be prepared to succeed.
For more information about this program, visit www.ferris.edu/latino or call (231) 591-2470.
Our congratulations to Dr. Baker, FSU, the Promesa Summer program graduates, and everybody who is part of the Promesa program.
Haz clic para leerlo en español: Iniciativa especial para incentivar el ingreso de estudiantes al mundo universitario