HGSA College PATHS
Donation protected
Who Are We?
Hello! My name is Javier Muñoz. I grew up in East Los Angeles where I graduated from J. A. Garfield High School in 2009. I went on to study History at UCLA , where I graduated in 2013. While studying there, I noticed a disproportionately low number of Latina/o students on-campus. This observation inspired me to build a program committed to helping students from underrepresented backgrounds reach institutions of higher education. But I am not doing this alone. Several of my high school classmates and colleagues, who graduated from 4-year colleges and universities, are also committed to giving back to a new generation of GHS students. Now that I am a Ph.D. Student at UCLA, we have the opportunity to transform our ideas into a joint community initiative with the UCLA History Graduate Students Association (HGSA) that brings East LA to UCLA and presents college as a realistic option.
What is HGSA College PATHS?
HGSA College PATHS (formerly CAP @ UCLA ) is a college access and academic enrichment program. It aims to provide a select group of eight students from the ninth and/or tenth grade at J. A. Garfield High School with the critical thinking skills and knowledge required to gain admission to a 4-year college or university. By reaching students early in their high school careers, we hope to reach those who never considered college a realistic option and help them work toward that goal. Our small effort is geared toward ensuring equity and access within higher education.
The program will take place at UCLA in May & June 2017 in the form of four all day Saturday Academies. Each Saturday will feature a university professor who will lecture about a topic relevant to the lives of our participating students. For example, Professor Gaye Theresa Johnson will be speaking about injustice and inequality through the history of Los Angeles. We think students will benefit tremendously by visiting a college campus and experiencing a college lecture first hand.
Lectures will be supplemented with ice-breaker exercises, college access workshops, and panels. Students will learn about the following:
Admissions
Financial Aid
A-G Requirements
Career Possibilities
Personal Statements
And a few other useful workshops meants to develop their critical thinking skills and place them on the college track. All students will be assigned a mentor, who will have graduated from a 4-year college or university and will be familiar with the East LA community. Students will be joined by mentors for lunch every Saturday. The shared struggles and backgrounds between students and their mentors will facilitate the creation of good relationships. All participants will be provided with breakfast and lunch.
What Can You Do To Help?
By donating a couple dollars, you can help improve the likelihood that a young student from East LA will attend a 4-year college or university. You might be someone who never had that opportunity or someone who received the help required to attend college and would like to pay it forward. This is your chance to make a difference and every bit counts! All the funds collected will go toward providing the following:
Notebooks
Scholarships
Breakfast & Lunch
Printed Materials
Office Supplies, etc.
Leftover funds will be saved for next year when the program begins with a new group of students. We can all do this together like we did during our 2015 GoFundMe campaign! Thank you for your trust and support! And please don't forget to share this with family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers!
Thank you,
HGSA College PATHS Volunteers
Hello! My name is Javier Muñoz. I grew up in East Los Angeles where I graduated from J. A. Garfield High School in 2009. I went on to study History at UCLA , where I graduated in 2013. While studying there, I noticed a disproportionately low number of Latina/o students on-campus. This observation inspired me to build a program committed to helping students from underrepresented backgrounds reach institutions of higher education. But I am not doing this alone. Several of my high school classmates and colleagues, who graduated from 4-year colleges and universities, are also committed to giving back to a new generation of GHS students. Now that I am a Ph.D. Student at UCLA, we have the opportunity to transform our ideas into a joint community initiative with the UCLA History Graduate Students Association (HGSA) that brings East LA to UCLA and presents college as a realistic option.
What is HGSA College PATHS?
HGSA College PATHS (formerly CAP @ UCLA ) is a college access and academic enrichment program. It aims to provide a select group of eight students from the ninth and/or tenth grade at J. A. Garfield High School with the critical thinking skills and knowledge required to gain admission to a 4-year college or university. By reaching students early in their high school careers, we hope to reach those who never considered college a realistic option and help them work toward that goal. Our small effort is geared toward ensuring equity and access within higher education.
The program will take place at UCLA in May & June 2017 in the form of four all day Saturday Academies. Each Saturday will feature a university professor who will lecture about a topic relevant to the lives of our participating students. For example, Professor Gaye Theresa Johnson will be speaking about injustice and inequality through the history of Los Angeles. We think students will benefit tremendously by visiting a college campus and experiencing a college lecture first hand.
Lectures will be supplemented with ice-breaker exercises, college access workshops, and panels. Students will learn about the following:
Admissions
Financial Aid
A-G Requirements
Career Possibilities
Personal Statements
And a few other useful workshops meants to develop their critical thinking skills and place them on the college track. All students will be assigned a mentor, who will have graduated from a 4-year college or university and will be familiar with the East LA community. Students will be joined by mentors for lunch every Saturday. The shared struggles and backgrounds between students and their mentors will facilitate the creation of good relationships. All participants will be provided with breakfast and lunch.
What Can You Do To Help?
By donating a couple dollars, you can help improve the likelihood that a young student from East LA will attend a 4-year college or university. You might be someone who never had that opportunity or someone who received the help required to attend college and would like to pay it forward. This is your chance to make a difference and every bit counts! All the funds collected will go toward providing the following:
Notebooks
Scholarships
Breakfast & Lunch
Printed Materials
Office Supplies, etc.
Leftover funds will be saved for next year when the program begins with a new group of students. We can all do this together like we did during our 2015 GoFundMe campaign! Thank you for your trust and support! And please don't forget to share this with family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers!
Thank you,
HGSA College PATHS Volunteers
Organiser
Javier Munoz
Organiser
Los Angeles, CA
