Press Releases & Media Outlets
"LEAD/CSUSB Feria Educativa" Draws 5,000
10/03/2011
Feria Educativa LEAD - Latino Education & Advocacy Days - California State University San Bernardino
A community event designed to provide students and their families with information and resources that will facilitate student academic achievement
and their pathway to college. College & Career Fair
SAN BERNARDINO: Latino education fair draws 5,000
MARK ZALESKI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Irene Muniz, center, and her niece Vanity, 5, bottom left, receives free items from Sergio Orozco from the State Farm booth during the "Feria Educativa College and Career Fair" at Cal State San Bernardino Saturday.
BY DAVID OLSON
STAFF WRITER
dolson@pe.com <javascript:main.compose('new', 't=dolson@pe.com')>
Published: 03 October 2011 11:17 AM
* Weblink: Cal State San Bernardino Latino projects
About 5,000 parents, children and educators jammed the Cal State San Bernardino <http://topics.pe.com/topic/San_Bernardino> Santos Manuel Student Union on Saturday for an education fair aimed at increasing the number of Latinos who attend college.
The large turnout for the inaugural event signaled the importance that Latino parents attach to their children's education, and a hunger to find out how best to guide their kids toward college, said Enrique Murillo, executive director of Latino Education and Advocacy Days, which organized the Feria Educativa College and Career Fair.
Participants came from throughout the Inland area and Los Angeles County. Coachella Valley Unified School District sent 12 school buses with nearly 700 children and parents.
"We want them to see what it's like to be on a college campus and more than anything to know that college is an attainable goal," said Bea Gonzalez, coordinator of the school district's After School Education and Safety program.
The fair included Spanish, English and bilingual workshops on college-entrance requirements, parental involvement in education, financial aid and high-school dropout prevention. More than a dozen colleges and universities had booths with materials, as did educational nonprofits that assist students and parents.
Murillo, a professor of education at Cal State, said the fair sent a message to students that they can succeed. Many low-income Latino kids come from families and neighborhoods with few or no college graduates to serve as examples.
"One of the major obstacles in our community is we have to believe in ourselves, that, 'Yes, we are college material,' - Murillo said. "We have to do our part to rid students of doubts and fears of their academic and motivational abilities, to say, "Look, I did it. I grew up in the same neighborhood as you and I made it.'"
Auxiliary Bishop Rutilio del Riego, of the Catholic Diocese of San Bernardino, said many parents who want their children to succeed academically lack the type of vital information that the fair provided.
"Sometimes parents have the desire that their children attend college but they don't know how to lead them through the process," del Riego said after speaking during the welcoming session.
David Vega, 43, of Rialto, gathered material on financial aid and scholarships, which is the only way his four children will be able to attend university.
"I got a lot of information," Vega said in Spanish as his wife, Maria, 35, stood nearby with a bag full of college and financial-aid brochures. "Before today, I didn't know the process of how to apply."
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VIEWING THE FAIR
Telemundo's week of education programming culminated with a special edition of "Enfoque" with Jose Diaz-Balart and Ana Patricia Candiani from California State University San Bernardino hosting a town hall meeting from "LEAD Feria Educativa College & Career Fair."
Videos from Feria Educativa town hall program are posted online
MSN Latino
LEAD / CSUSB partners with
Telemundo for 'Feria Educativa' College and Career Fair on Oct. 1
In collaboration with Telemundo's "El Poder De Saber" education initiative, California State University, San Bernardino is working to create a college-going mentality and career-readiness culture among low-income Hispanic families and groups by bringing them to campus for the LEAD College and Career Fair, or "Feria Educativa," on Saturday, Oct. 1.
The Feria Educativa will target the Inland Empire, which suffers from one of the lowest college-going rates nationally, especially among ethnic and low-income groups, including the Latino community.
The disparity of high-paying jobs and careers from those with college educations and those without continues to widen, becoming far more evident among Hispanics. And over the past decade, the Inland Empire has seen the largest increase in Latino residents of any metropolitan area in the nation.
"It's especially discouraging, because more and more people would make higher education a priority if they had the knowledge and tools for what it takes to get into and stay in college," said Enrique Murillo Jr., a Cal State San Bernardino professor of education.
The free, all-day Saturday event will include education workshops, presentations and demonstrations, entertainment and activities for children - all in a carnival atmosphere. The fair will be at the university's Santos Manuel Student Union and the university's Commons. Parking will be free.
Telemundo 52/KVEA, the local station serving Southern California, is scheduled to broadcast live from the Feria, while the network will tape a live town-hall meeting hosted by Telemundo's news anchor, Jose Diaz-Balart, to air on Sunday, Oct. 2, during his public affairs program "Enfoque." The town hall will also be made available on demand on Telemundo's website http://msnlatino.telemundo.com/ and on the university's website http://csusb.edu/. Telemundo television personalities will also serve as emcees, panelists and speakers during the event.
The fair, held under the auspices of Cal State San Bernardino's Latino Education and Advocacy Days project, is designed to help Latino families make college a priority, said Murillo, who also is the executive director of the LEAD conference, which is held in March.
The fair's goals are simple.
"We want the Feria to be a place where families and their children will not only learn about college, what it takes to get both in grades and in finances, but also inspire them to make college a viable option - something to aspire to," Murillo said.
The Feria is intended to engage Latino parents and families, he said.
"We want them to believe that their children are 'college material' and offer them opportunities to understand their role in the college process, as well as other post-secondary career opportunities," Murillo said.
The fair will host community forums to discuss issues in education, an education expo and information sessions and workshops to help parents and their children learn about what it takes to get to college and how to apply for scholarships and financial aid.
Some of the sessions include: how to get into college - the basics; learning about professions in the STEM fields - science, technology, engineering and mathematics; "Financial Aid 101: Am I eligible?" discovering what scholarships are available; parental engagement & involvement workshops. See the event program for details on the full line-up of activities.
The Feria will also be the site of the Inland Empire Cash for College Campaign, a program of the California Student Aid Commission, in partnership with high schools, community colleges, universities and community groups, which will conduct workshops to encourage students with financial need to apply for the scholarship funding that is available to them. Students receive one-on-one assistance to complete their financial aid forms.
As a group, students in past events have accessed $20-$40 million in state and federal financial aid.
For more information, vendors/exhibits and sponsorship opportunities visit the LEAD website.
http://lead.csusb.edu/CollegeCareerFair.htm
For more information on Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university's Office of Public Affairs at (909) 537-5007 and visit http://news.csusb.edu/
The Learning Swerve
Cal State San Bernardino professor spells out why Latinos are in an educational “crisis”
By: Alex Distefano
With all the problems facing the nation—the economy, the environment, the healthcare system—now Latinos can add yet another dilemma to the ever growing list. According to Cal State San Bernardino professor Enrique Murillo, Latinos in the United States are in the middle of an educational “crisis.”
“The competitive strength of the U.S. in a global economy depends, and will continue to depend, to a large extent on the positive educational outcomes of Latino students at all levels,” Murillo tells the Weekly. “Latinos have emerged as the largest minority in the U.S.” Read more...
The Huffington Post — Enrique Murillo, a professor of education at California State University, San Bernardino, commissioner of the California Student Aid Commission and executive director of Latino Education and Advocacy Days, is quoted in an article about Latino teachers being key in instilling among young Latino students that a college education is an option for them. The article was published Aug. 14, 2011.
Read the complete article at “Latino teachers needed for classroom role models.”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/12/latino-teacher-shortage_n_925440.html
August 11, 2011
CSUSB PROFESSOR TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL EDUCATION SUMMIT
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Cal State San Bernardino professor Enrique Murillo has been invited to participate as a “thought leader” at NBC News’ “Education Nation” 2011 Summit during the week of Sept. 25 in New York City.
This year's national education event will convene policymakers, elected officials, teachers, parents, thought leaders, educators, members of the business community and engaged citizens in a national discussion about the challenges, potential solutions and innovations spanning today's education landscape. The summit will address the developments, challenges, and progress since last year’s inaugural event and will identify and explore new opportunities.
“Education Nation” will include a summit in New York City and education programming across NBC News, MSNBC, msnbc.com, TheGrio.com, CNBC and Telemundo. Since last year’s event, NBC News has continued its education reporting and programming across all of its shows and platforms under the banner of “Education Nation.”
“I’m thrilled to be one of only about 30 people invited to participate as a ‘thought leader’ for this very important event, and one of only a handful of Latinos,” Murillo said. “I very much look forward to the opportunity to share my perspectives on the state of education in the nation and our region.”
Murillo is scheduled to participate in both national television and Internet coverage of the summit.
“This is quite an exceptional recognition of Enrique’s work,” said CSUSB President Albert Karnig. “We’re very proud of what he’s contributed and, more so, what he has the potential to offer in advancing the education and lives of Latinos.”
On Saturday, Oct. 1, Cal State San Bernardino will host the inaugural “Feria Educativa and College Fair,” a free community festival on campus designed to engage parents and families about the importance of a college education. The Telemundo Network (part of the NBC News family), through its Los Angeles station KVEA Channel 52, will be a partner at the event.
Feria Educativa and College Fair will present information to explain the role of parents in preparing their children for college and other post-secondary career opportunities, and will walk them through the college-going process. Activities will focus on demonstrating to families – with attention to Latinos – that their children are “college material.” In addition, educational and career information and other materials pertinent to community well-being, immigration and civic engagement will be available.
The event, which will be held on campus at the Santos Manuel Student Union, is being organized by CSUSB’s Latino Education Advocacy Days group and other education stakeholders in the Inland Empire.
For more information, contact Enrique Murillo at (909) 537-5632 or emurillo@csusb.edu, or contact the university’s Office of Public Affairs at (909) 537-5007 and visit http://news.csusb.edu.
U.S. EDUCATION SECRETARY DUNCAN CHALLENGES NATION TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE HISPANIC EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE A PRIORITY, 06/23/2011
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Communications & Outreach, Press Office
400 Maryland Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011
CONTACTS: Toby Chaudhuri at toby.chaudhuri@ed.gov or Ida Kelley at Ida. Kelley@ed.gov
New Report on Comprehensive National and State Performance Data Shows Hispanic-White Achievement Gap Unchanged Over Last Two Decades
WASHINGTON - U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan today urged parents, educators and school leaders at every level of government to make Hispanic educational excellence a national priority. Secretary Duncan's challenge follows the release of a sobering new report on the Hispanic achievement gap by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the U.S. Department of Education's statistical center.
Mathematics and reading scores for Hispanic students have increased over time, but the gap between Hispanic students and their white counterparts on the National Assessment of Educational Progress has not changed since the 1990s, according to the comprehensive report by NCES. Over the same period, the gap between non-limited English proficient Hispanic students and their white peers narrowed.
In the knowledge economy, Secretary Duncan said it is more vital than ever that every child in America be able to go as far as his or her potential, talent and energy will allow.
"Race and ethnicity shouldn't be factors in the success of any child in America," said Secretary Duncan. "Hispanic students are the largest minority group in our nation's schools. But they face grave educational challenges that are hindering their ability to pursue the American dream. We must expand their educational opportunities at every level of the P-12 system to compete with the rest of the world."
Expanding opportunities is crucial to reaching the Obama Administration's goal of having the world's highest share of college graduates by 2020. "We cannot achieve the 2020 goal without challenging every level of government to make the educational success of Latinos a top priority," said Secretary Duncan. "America's future depends on it."
Juan Sepulveda, the director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, noted that the Obama Administration is working in partnership with communities across the country.
"Low Hispanic educational attainment levels aren't just a problem for the Latino community. Every American has a stake in this," said Sepulveda. "We've brought major organizations and key people from inside and outside the education system together to tackle this challenge. We're focused on advancing and accelerating achievement, access and attainment for Hispanic students so they're ready for college and a career and to compete globally."
At the national level, the achievement gaps between Hispanic and white students at grades 4 and 8 in mathematics and reading are about 20 points on the NAEP scale, according to the NCES report. California and Connecticut each had a Hispanic-white gap larger than that of the nation for grades 4 and 8 in mathematics and for grade 4 in reading, while Department of Defense Education Activity schools, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri and Wyoming had smaller gaps than those of the nation for both reading and mathematics at grades 4 and 8.
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**NOTE: An electronic copy of the full NCES achievement gap report is available at http://go.usa.gov/W6E.**
Graciano & Trini Gomez to be Honorary Chairs for inagural LEAD Feria Educativa
June 23, 2011
It is with great pleasure that I wish to convey the fantastic news that today Mr. and Mrs. Graciano and Trini Gomez graciously accepted to serve as our 2011 Honorary Chairs for the inaugural LEAD Feria Eduativa. They will be affectionately known as our event's "padrino y madrina de honor".
At our June 15th planners' meeting, Graciano and Trini were duly nominated, moved, and approved by unanimous consent.
Married for more than 30 years, Graciano and Trini are very well known, have deep roots, and are highly active in and across our regional communities. They place a high value on education and socio-economic endeavors, and in the collaboration of community groups working towards mutual goals and objectives. They are most well known for their hard work and commitment in having established the Inland Empire Hispanic News.
Since the publication's inception, Mrs. Trini Gomez has played a vital role in the development and ongoing operation of the newspaper, alongside Graciano, who served as publisher and editor. Together they have made into reality this dream of creating such an elemental resource for our communities across the region.
The Inland Empire Hispanic News has been one of the primary newspapers to bring to light important public and social policies in regards to health, education, economic development, and business news. It captures the spirit of the greater Inland Empire community by sharing the inspirational stories of outstanding role models of leaders in the community, business, education, and non-profit sectors, and individuals and families who are making positive contributions.
Please join us in congratulating them, and thanking them for accepting our invitation to serve in this capacity. We are deeply honored.
LEAD Feria Educativa - Inland Empire Cash for College Campaign
June 22, 2011
With great pleasure I wish to share some breaking news in relation to our Feria Educativa event, composed of a broad array of community stakeholders and organizations, coordinated by LEAD/CSUSB and jointly planned with the Partners of the IE Regional Collaborative;
Today we finished working through the viable details/elements of our strong working partnership with the CA Student Aid Commission. - that is, it's official! Our Feria Educativa kicks off a new regional initiative for our own Inland Empire Cash for College Campaign.
Cash for College - a program of the California Student Aid Commission, in partnership with high schools, community colleges, universities, and community groups - conducts workshops to encourage students with financial need to apply for the scholarship funding that is available to them.
Cash for College offers workshops in hundreds of locations statewide to tens of thousands of students and family members. By attending the workshops and receiving one-on-one assistance to complete their financial aid forms, these students in past events have accessed between $20 and $40 million in state and federal financial aid.
Foundations and chambers of commerce come together as partners by offering "incentive scholarships" to students who participate in the program. High school seniors who attend a workshop, submit a workshop evaluation, and apply for federal and state financial aid by the state's Cal Grant deadline are eligible for such a scholarship. In addition, the program evaluates progress, track workshop participants who enroll in college and those who don't, and develop additional strategies to serve this student population.
This is right in line with our goals of increasing the number of students finishing high school and enrolling in postsecondary institutions, through intensive educational enrichment. An IE Cash for College Campaign would offer many resources to help improve educational opportunities for students. Through these resources and our efforts, we would promote their success in secondary school and in college. Most of these programs would serve primarily students from low-income families or from environments with historically low college attendance rates. Cash for College also avails itself for AB540 students, which helps keep focus on higher education opportunities for immigrant and undocumented students as well.
