200 Attend SDSU's Afrikan Student Unions 48th Annual High School Conference

The Afrikan Student Union (ASU) of San Diego State University hosted its 48th Annual High School Conference where high school students get the opportunity to learn about the Black collegiate experience firsthand. The event promotes SDSU while providing advice and key tips from college students to future college students. 

This year’s “Monsters University” theme showed students how to open doors and find adventures of every kind. While college is seen as a time of independence and fun, beginning the experience can be nerve-wracking for first-year students. The ASU offers many workshops specialized to the student’s interests, in collaboration with other Black organizations. From financial aid to social life, the High School Conference helps prepare high school students for their future college endeavors.

ASU’s executive board reached out to numerous schools, created decorations, recruited volunteers, and proposed engaging workshops in preparation for the Feb. 17 event. 

“High School Conference planning really starts during the summer; it entails months of preparation,” said ASU Vice President Amira Moore. “There’s a lot of outreach that happens up until the week of the conference. Whether it’s contacting school counselors or food vendors, ASU members are constantly working to ensure that everyone is on the same page.” 

 “Open the Door and You Will Find Adventure of Every Kind” introduced students to both the academic and adventurous aspects of college life. It is more than a title, but a saying that many executive ASU board members related to when brainstorming a title for this year’s conference. 

 Board members selected the Monsters University theme, referencing the 2013 Pixar movie, to “excite students for a new chapter in their lives.” 

ASU continued the High School Conference experience virtually during the virtual era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through Zoom, students were put in breakout rooms for the workshops. The experience may not have been the same through a screen, however, the students stayed engaged and learned what it meant to be a student at SDSU. 

Around 200 high school students from across San Diego County attended this year’s conference. 

The transition from high school to college is often tough for students. However, for four decades, the Afrikan Student Union has committed an effort to prepare students the best that they can. 

Moore explained the power of the high school conference and how she wished she attended it when she was in high school. 

“When I was visiting colleges, I was doing it on my own,” said Moore. “I felt that I was missing the essence of the college experience and did not have the opportunity to build those preliminary relationships with students. If I had gone to the conference, I would have had a better idea on how to navigate resources/programs available for students of color.”