SDSU Imperial Valley Partnership Opens Doors to Higher Education for Foster Youth
In partnership with the Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program, SDSU Imperial Valley opened its campus for young adults and foster care youth to learn about its diverse degree offerings.
On April 14, more than 30 students from the Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program (IVROP) joined San Diego State University Imperial Valley for its first “Pathway to Success” event, a daylong program where local foster care youth and young adults have the opportunity to learn about the university’s degrees and tour its Calexico campus.
In Imperial County, there are more than 300 youth in the foster care system, according to the California Child Welfare Indicators Project.
“We want to show our students that we have higher education opportunities close to home and access the same support as they’ve received during their time in the K-12 system,” said Yessenia Partida, foster youth program manager at IVROP. “We want our students to feel motivated, connected and encouraged to pursue a career.”
In collaboration with the Imperial County Social Services, IVROP guides youth in foster care — from junior high students to young adults under the age of 25 — through a comprehensive set of independent living assistance and academic programs aimed at helping them successfully transition to the next chapter of their lives.
The IVROP team also conducted a survey to identify the degrees students were most interested in. SDSU Imperial Valley’s Guardian Scholars Program and the Division of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity, worked closely with IVROP to highlight its psychology, criminal justice and nursing programs. Students also had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with representatives from the university’s centers and campus support resources.
“Our team feels really fortunate to partake in this event because we want students to immerse themselves into our campus and see for themselves the opportunities we offer,” said Viviann Cesena, academic advisor at SDSU Imperial Valley. “We hope that in future events we invite a younger audience to ‘plant the seed’ that we’re here in Imperial Valley and help them achieve their bachelor’s or master’s degree.”
