La Feria de Educación, a statewide education fair in Spanish designed to empower thousands of Latino parents and students with information and resources to help them succeed in California’s educational system, is set for Saturday, Oct. 24 at Fresno State.

The CSU has partnered with the Spanish-language television network Univision to present the fairs at system campuses with large Latino population service areas. The project is part of the Hispanic Partnerships Initiative through the CSU Office of External Relations.

Similar Feria de Educación events held at Sacramento State and Dominguez Hills have drawn tens of thousands of guests from surrounding areas.

In Fresno, La Feria de Educación will be from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. with about 6,000 parents, children and educators expected to attend. The event will feature a college resources fair, workshops, entertainment, food booths, activities for children and guest speakers.

For the Fresno State  event, the Spanish language network’s TV and radio Univision affiliates are working with a university committee coordinated by the University Outreach Services office, the Mexican Consulate, the Fresno Office of Education Migrant Services, sponsors and other non-profit organizations.

The unique event is aimed at increasing the number of Latinos who attend college, said Frances Peña, director of outreach in Fresno State’s Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.

“The idea of this education fair is to empower thousands of Latino parents and students with information and resources to help them succeed in California’s educational system,” Peña said. “We encourage not just parents and families but also school officials to join our campaign and help arrange for their students to take advantage of this new, unique opportunity to better their lives through higher education.”

In addition to more than 100 exhibitors from school districts, education nonprofits, colleges and universities, the event will feature several interactive activities:

  • Five thousand 5,000 books in Spanish and English will be handed out to promote reading in the community as well as to underscore the value of being bilingual.
  • A visualization area where children will be photographed in settings depicting possible future careers and/or in a cap and gown;
  • A reading garden where community leaders read to children
  • Entertainment including Fresno State’s Mexican folkloric dance troupe Los Danzantes de Aztlan will perform

There is no formal registration process required but students are encouraged to sign up with their respective schools for transportation for them and their parents.

A new website will provide details as they are finalized: www.gotofresnostate/events.  The event may be followed using the social media hashtag #feriaedufresno. 

Event sponsorships are also available.

For more information, contact Frances Peña at 559.278.2048 or francesp@csufresno.edu.