Graciela Beltrán, award-winning Mexican singer, will be honored at the 2017 La Feria de Educación set for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7, at Fresno State, with about 10,000-plus expected to attend.

Beltrán will be recognized as “Embajadora de la Feria de Educación” (Ambassador of the Education Fair) after President Joseph Castro delivers the welcome at 11 a.m. for the event presented by Fresno State, the California State University, Spanish-language television and radio network Univision and the  Mexican Consulate in Fresno.

Part of the California State University System’s Latino Initiative held at three campuses throughout the state, the free public college information fair is conducted in Spanish and is designed primarily to help increase the number of Latino students who attend and graduate from college.

The CSU and its Fresno, Northridge and Sacramento campuses partner with the local community groups for the event to “forge strong community partnerships that empower Latino parents and students and provides them with the information and resources to help them succeed,” said Martina Granados, director of Fresno State’s Outreach and Special Programs.

“These efforts support the CSU’s new Graduation Initiative 2025 target focused on increasing the completion rates of first-time freshmen, transfer, low-income and underserved students,” said Granados, who is a local Feria committee co-chair with Lupita Lomeli of Univision Fresno.

Feria features a college resource fair with representatives from colleges throughout the state, workshops including education path and financial aid workshops, food vendors, guest speakers and special activities for children, such as a reading garden with local leaders reading to children and a visualization booth where students can pose for photos depicting their future career.

Live entertainment includes student performances by the Fresno State Mariachi and Los Danzantes de Aztlan Mexican folkloric dance troupe.

Beltrán, also known as “La Reina del Pueblo”, is considered one of regional Mexican music’s most influential female voices. Beltran began singing at age six and recorded albums of norteño, banda and mariachi music before she signed with EMI. At the 8th and 9th Lo Nuestro Awards, Beltran was nominated for Regional Mexican Female Singer of the Year.

She has collaborated with many artists during her career. Her compilation with Tejano star Selena, titled “Las Reinas Del Pueblo,” has sold five million copies worldwide.

The special recognition, similar to a grand marshal guest of honor title, is for her efforts in  supporting her family’s educational success and for her contributions to charities in Mexico, said Lomeli.

President Castro will be joined by Steve Stuck, vice president and general manager of Univision 21; the Hon. David Manuel Preciado Juárez, the cónsul of Mexico in Fresno; and Maryann Jackmon, senior director for External Relations representing the California State University Office of the Chancellor.

“The future of California and the nation will depend on our ability to ensure that all students — regardless of background, belief, circumstance or status — have equitable opportunities for academic achievement and lifelong success,” CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White said. “As an immigrant from Latin America and product of California’s public higher education systems, I am proud that the California State University stands committed to building pathways to higher education for all qualified students.”

Other co-sponsors are Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, Fresno Unified School District, Food Maxx, the Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative, Kern County Superintendent of Schools Migrant Education, Central Valley Cal-Soap, Tulare and Kings Counties Migrant Education Program, Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula, Clovis Community College, Fresno County Preterm Birth Collective Impact Initiative, Education and Leadership Foundation, and Fresno State programs: Outreach and Special Programs, California Mini-Corps, Educational Talent Search,  Upward Bound Program, Dream Outreach Center and PIQE.

Valley residents may sign up for transportation by contacting Karina Torres at 559.497.3714 or ktorres@fcoe.org. School districts may register by contacting Ben Reynoso at 559.278.1205 or breynoso@csufresno.edu.

For more information, contact Granados at 559.278.5374 or martinag@mail.fresnostate.edu.

(University Communications news assistant Yesenia Candelaria contributed to this report).

To volunteer: http://bit.ly/Feria17volunteer