The California Teaching Fellows Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting pre-service teachers and college-age leaders with work experiences in schools and afterschool programs, is collaborating with Fresno State’s College Assistance Migrant Program to host the third annual Teaching Fellows Summer University at Fresno State.
Formerly known as the Migrant Summer University, Teaching Fellows Summer University is designed to immerse high school students from across California in university life. Under the guidance of dedicated teaching fellows, these young leaders will delve into a diverse array of subjects and activities over two weeks.
The current session began July 14 and ends on July 27.
High school students in the current session will be coming from Parlier Unified, Woodlake Unified and from the Migrant Education Program Region 2 (including Santa Rosa City Schools, Ukiah Unified and Winters Joint Unified School District).
“We are thrilled to welcome 90 high school students from across the state of California spanning districts from Santa Rosa to Woodlake,” said Pedro Lopez, program manager for California Teaching Fellows Foundation. “The program’s hands-on projects, diverse class options, and dedicated mentorship from trained Teaching Fellows ensure that students not only gain valuable skills but also experience a genuine sense of belonging and inspiration for their future educational pursuits.”
Teaching Fellows staff, who currently hold leadership positions such as site leads and assistant site leads in expanded learning programs, serve as resident advisers. All advisers undergo comprehensive training to equip them with the skills needed to support and supervise students effectively. This training includes topics such as student safety, conflict resolution, leadership development and emergency response. The advisers provide round-the-clock supervision and mentorship, ensuring a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for all participants.
These tracks offer a range of activities:
- Health and Fitness Track: Soccer, yoga, boxing, kickboxing and strength training.
- Higher Education Track: Exploration of colleges, majors and careers.
- STEM Track: Physics, drones and aviation, graphic design, engineering, and astrophysics.
- Cultural Awareness Track: Folklorico, guitar, art, Latin dance, music production and hip-hop dance.
In addition to the program activities, students will participate in two follow-up field trips to visit different universities during the 2024-25 academic school year, providing them with further exposure to higher education environments and opportunities to explore potential future paths.
For more information about Teaching Fellows Summer University or ways to support the California Teaching Fellows Foundation, contact Natalie Dodson at natalie.dodson@ctff.us.
