Center Reaches Out To Hispanic High School Students

Program participants gather outside the Student Advising and Mentoring Center, located in Academic Building 4.

The Academic Support Programs of the Student Advising and Mentoring Center has expanded its successful mentoring program to Hispanic high school students.

During the fall 2005 semester, Bernice Strauss and Margaret Ferguson, both from the SAM Center, along with John Escobedo, from the League of United Latin American Citizens, and Dalia Harrelson, a member of the Huntsville Diversity Forum and the school nurse at Huntsville High School, met to discuss how the three entities might work together to encourage local Hispanic high school students to seriously consider higher education, according to Strauss.

“The outcome, a program called El Siguiente Paso, was a fine example of the things that can be accomplished when the university and the community come together,” Strauss said.

Through the program, Harrelson, working with Hispanic students and their families, arranged transportation from the high school to the SHSU campus by bus from First Baptist Church.

Twenty-eight high school students met with 10 university mentors for a 10-week program that included information on study skills, university admission and financial aid, among other topics.

“The program was so successful that it is being repeated this spring with 30 new high school students and some additional mentors,” Strauss said. “Students having ‘graduated’ from the first series asked to continue with an increased focus on academics so they now attend an advanced study skills program including volunteer tutoring with Sam Houston honors students.”

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SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt
Jan. 26, 2006
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