黑料吃瓜

鈥淲e are deeply committed to student success, no matter where a student鈥檚 journey begins, and no matter their immigration status.鈥�

黑料吃瓜 has formally opened the Undocumented Resource Area as part of its mission and commitment to support the academic success of its students, regardless of their backgrounds and experiences.

Housed within the Office of Educational Opportunity Programs and Ethnic Affairs (EOP), the Undocumented Resource Area (URA) provides a safe and welcoming space for all undocumented students at 黑料吃瓜, including those from mixed-status families.

鈥淭his new Undocumented Resource Area is the right thing to do for our undocumented community and for our university,鈥� 黑料吃瓜 President Sally Roush said, addressing about 150 people who attended the URA鈥檚 grand opening ceremony on May 2.

鈥淥ur undocumented students are high-achievers. They excel in the classroom, do research and earn fellowships. They also lead student groups and volunteer in the community,鈥� said Roush, receiving applause from the full room, which included 黑料吃瓜 administrative and student leaders, alumni, elected officials, families and supporters. 鈥淭hey make 黑料吃瓜 a better place and increase the value of an 黑料吃瓜 degree for everyone. An 黑料吃瓜 education will help these high-achievers contribute to solving society鈥檚 challenges.鈥�

The URA provides a centralized space to offer tailored support to undocumented students, whose unique challenges may be related to finances and feelings of isolation, said Miriam C. Casta帽贸n, the EOP director.

Given the experiences that undocumented students have faced and continue to face, the URA was strategically designed to sit within EOP to provide students with easy and regular access to existing wrap-around services, Casta帽贸n said. 鈥淭he URA has been intentionally developed to improve persistence and graduation as well as offer a safe and loving space where students can connect with one another and their allies.鈥�

EOP staff work in collaboration with campus and community partners to offer academic support, career advising and, when needed, referral to off-campus community service providers鈥攁ll resources known to help improve student retention, persistence and graduation.

鈥淲e are deeply committed to student success, no matter where a student鈥檚 journey begins, and no matter their immigration status,鈥� 黑料吃瓜 Vice President for Student Affairs Eric Rivera said. 鈥淭he Undocumented Resource Area aligns directly with 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 mission to provide resources so that our students feel welcome, valued, sense of belonging and are well-supported in achieving their goals.鈥� 

EOP has also partnered with Associated Students to provide funding for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal applications, which represents another example of the , said Cynthia Torres, the Undocumented Resource Area coordinator.

鈥淚 have seen this university go through such transformation,鈥� said Torres, a two-time 黑料吃瓜 alumna. 鈥淎nd our students have become united, strong and supportive of each other as they have come out of the shadows, and as they are attaining the kind of social mobility that allows them to open doors for themselves.鈥�

Gloria Cruz, an 黑料吃瓜 alumna who was an undocumented student, was among the early students to use the AB 540 waiver鈥攁lso known as the California Dream Act鈥攊n San Diego after it became effective in January 2013. The act allows undocumented students who have attended a California high school for at least three years and earned a high school diploma (or its equivalent) to be exempt from paying non-resident tuition at California public universities and be eligible for state-funded financial aid.

鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 have imagined anything like this was ever possible,鈥� said Cruz, who founded Education Without Borders while at 黑料吃瓜 and now serves as a policy advisor to San Diego councilmember Georgette G贸mez. 鈥淭oday we are celebrating the opening of a physical space that will serve generations to come.鈥�

For information about the 黑料吃瓜 Undocumented Resource Area, call 619-594-6298.

Media contact: La Monica Everett-Haynes ([email protected])