CORVALLIS - Oregon State University student, faculty and administrative leaders will host a special event in Salem on Thursday, May 21, to help Hispanic-Latino students in area high schools begin preparing for college.

The event, "Si, Se Puede," is aimed at students in grades 9-12. It will run from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Oregon State Fair and Expo Center's Cascade Hall, 2330 17th St. N.E. in Salem.

"We are inviting Hispanic-Latino students, their parents and community leaders to learn more about what it takes to begin preparing for a four-year university, regardless of which university that may be," said Louan Johnson, marketing assistant at OSU.

Scheduled speakers include Clara Padilla Andrews, publisher of El Hispanic News; Orcilia Zuniga-Forbes, vice president for university advancement at OSU; Erlinda Gonzales-Berry, chair of OSU's Department of Ethnic Studies; Larry Griggs, director of the Educational Opportunities Program (EOP) at the university; Oscar Montemayor, counselor and academic adviser for EOP and the College Assistance Migrant Program at OSU; and Rodolfo "Rudy" Flores, coordinator of OSU's Casa Educacional Education Office.

A panel of OSU students will discuss their own college preparations and their experiences at Oregon State. They also will answer questions from the audience.

Panelists include:

 

  • Christina Morales, a senior majoring in political science. The McNary High School graduate is a member of the Hispanic Student Union and MEChA at OSU.

     

  • Ana Perfecto, a sophomore majoring in human development and family science. She is involved with the Centro Cultural Cesar Chavez, and pursuing an international degree at OSU, with pre-physical therapy as a second degree, and Spanish as a minor.

     

  • Jorge Hernandez, a senior majoring in exercise and sport science, at OSU. The McNary High graduate is coordinator of the Centro Cultural Cesar Chavez, and a member of the OSU rugby club.

     

  • Dagoberto Garcia, a senior majoring in civil engineering at OSU. The McNary High graduate is a member of the Hispanic Student Union and the Migrant Workers' Union-PCUN in Woodburn.

     

  • Victor Rios, a freshman majoring in elementary education, is a transfer student at OSU via Linn-Benton Community College. The former resident of Tepalcatepec, Michoacan in Mexico is married and has two children.

Information will be provided at the event on admissions, financial aid, housing, support services for students and other topics by request. Questions can be answered in Spanish or English.

For more information, contact Luis Juarez, 541-737-0484, or Rudy Flores at 541-737-9031.

Source: 

Louan Johnson, 541-737-4668

Click photos to see a full-size version. Right click and save image to download.