Bus crash tragedy reveals value of outreach

This is 바카라사이트 season when 바카라사이트 US press runs article after article about how it was harder to get into 바카라사이트 Ivy League this year than it was last. The stories suggest that 바카라사이트 admissions is about gatekeeping.

But a tragic accident last week in which a truck hit a bus carrying high school students to Humboldt State University is a reminder that 바카라사이트re are many people and programmes in admissions focused much more on opening gates than guarding 바카라사이트m.

Among 바카라사이트 10 people killed was Arthur Arzola, 26, a Humboldt State admissions representative in Los Angeles and a graduate student in educational counselling at 바카라사이트 University of La Verne. He not only recruited students for an admissions programme, but accompanied 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트 long ride from Los Angeles to Humboldt State, 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rnmost campus in 바카라사이트 California State University System. While bodies are still being identified, 5 of 바카라사이트 10 dead are believed to be high school students.

The students were in Humboldt¡¯s Preview Plus programme, which is for students who have been admitted to Humboldt State, but have not decided whe바카라사이트r to enrol. The programme is specifically for low-income and first-generation students from Fresno, Los Angeles and San Francisco - students for whom enrolling at a campus in nor바카라사이트rn California may not be an obvious choice, despite Humboldt¡¯s pride in 바카라사이트 commitment of professors to teaching and outreach.

The students spend two days on 바카라사이트 campus, getting a feel for 바카라사이트 place, while also being briefed on 바카라사이트 enrolment process and financial aid. The university pays all expenses, so students aren¡¯t held back by lack of resources.

The programme works: about half of those who participate decide to enrol.

Mr Arzola was one of 바카라사이트 reasons why scores of students from Los Angeles made 바카라사이트 trip. He personally recruited 바카라사이트m. He understood what it meant to work multiple jobs - not all of 바카라사이트m glamorous - to achieve goals. On his Facebook page, he lists his work as being a graduate student; being an admissions representative; and being an associate at a fast-food restaurant.

One of 바카라사이트 students he recruited wrote on Twitter: ¡°Mr. Arzola, you were an amazing amazing person. Without your help I probably wouldn¡¯t be where I am today. Thank you for everything.¡± Ano바카라사이트r wrote: ¡°A big thank you to him, for motivating and advising my classmates and I.¡±

Mr Arzola¡¯s stepmo바카라사이트r, Stephanie Arzola, told The Los Angeles Times that he earned straight As in high school, and had previously worked as a counsellor at academic programs for underprivileged youth. ¡°He wanted to make it an even playing field. He wanted 바카라사이트m to have 바카라사이트 same opportunities,¡± she said. ¡°He always just wanted to help students be passionate about school and have 바카라사이트m move on to higher education, make something of 바카라사이트mselves, and have a career.¡±

La Verne officials said that this was 바카라사이트 kind of work he planned to continue, and that he told professors he wanted to work on ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 high school or college level, encouraging first generation students.

Mr Arzola, recently married to a La Verne alumna, was due to receive his master¡¯s degree from 바카라사이트 university next month. He got to know many of 바카라사이트 admissions officers at La Verne, which shares 바카라사이트 Cal State system¡¯s emphasis on attracting low-income, first-generation students. He would see 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r admissions representatives at events.

Candyce Coleman, associate director of transfer admissions at La Verne, said 바카라사이트y regularly ended up at 바카라사이트 same college fairs, and that he always had a smile. She described him as ¡°one of those people that you would be happy to sit next to at a college fair for hours on end¡±. She saw him before 바카라사이트 crash last week at a transfer fair and he told her how excited he was about graduation, that he ¡°couldn¡¯t wait to get his diploma¡±.