Migrant Senior Day is Sept. 29 at Fresno State

The first of three scheduled Migrant Senior Days will be from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at California State University, Fresno on Tuesday, Sept. 29, hosted by the university’s College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP). The event will be in the Satellite Student Union.

Fresno State’s CAMP, ranked in the top 5 in the nation, has been re-awarded $2.125 million by the U.S. Department of Education to serve 65 migrant students a year for the next five years. The grants support students who are migratory or seasonal farm workers or the children of such workers, during their first year of undergraduate studies.

Each annual Migrant Senior Day attracts about 200 seniors from Fresno, Tulare, Kern and San Joaquin county high schools. It is designed to motivate and prepare them for postsecondary education and offer assistance to them and their parents with the application process.

The new five-year funding for Fresno State’s program represents a reduction from the previous grant of $2.35 million to serve 80 students, said Ofelia Gamez, CAMP director.

“This cut does not allow us to serve the same number of students but we are extremely excited and appreciative to be able to serve our migrant students who definitely have a need for our support services,” she said.

CAMP is in the Division of Student Affairs at Fresno State and was first funded in 1981. It has been funded for 25 of the past 28 years.

Nationwide, 38 CAMP programs serve approximately 2,000 students annually. In May, the US Department of Education, Office of Migrant Education, announced that Fresno State ranked fifth in having successful first year retention.

“We are truly excited for this distinction and will continue to provide tailored services to meet the needs of our migrant students,” Gamez said.

Dr. Paul M. Oliaro, vice president for Student Affairs, said this national Top 5 ranking “demonstrates the effectiveness that Fresno State’s CAMP team has shown in helping a diverse segment of the community access higher education, and more important, succeed. Their graduates provide a valuable asset to our community.”

For more information about Migrant Senior Day or the CAMP program, call 559.278.4768.