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200 High School Students to Learn About College and Career Opportunities
PHOENIX, AZ - Raul Yzaguirre, Presidential Professor of Practice in Community Development and Civil Rights at Arizona State University and former President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), will chair the upcoming Phoenix Hispanic Youth Symposium to be held July 16-19, 2008, at Arizona State University’s West Campus. This inaugural symposium will provide 200 students from throughout the region with the information about preparing for college and professional careers. The Hispanic Youth Symposium is presented by the Hispanic College Fund, in partnership with the AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute (AGUILA).
“This is an event I am proud to participate in,” said Yzaguirre. “It is vital that our young people prepare for their future, continuing their education and preparing for careers in fields that are key to our future economy. This symposium will help them realize that college is not an impossible dream; that they can attend college and succeed. Many are the first in their family to be able to reach their goal of a college education and a well-paying career.”
The four-day symposium will provide the high school students with essential information about college and professional careers in business, science, technology, engineering, and math through workshops, inspirational mentors, and leadership opportunities. Attendance at the symposium includes a year-round follow-up program to further assist the students with preparing for college and careers.
“We are honored to have Raul Yzaguirre join us at the symposium as chair and keynote speaker. He is an icon in the Hispanic community, known for his civil rights advocacy for Latinos throughout the nation. As head of the NCLR, Raul inspired countless young Latinos and Latinas to go on to serve in state legislatures, shine in academia, and become leaders in both the public and private sectors,” said Fernando Barrueta, Hispanic College Fund CEO.
While Hispanic students in Arizona have received scholarships from the Hispanic College Fund in the past, this is the first time they will be able to attend a local symposium geared for them.
The program enjoys widespread community support. AGUILA is partnering with the Hispanic College Fund as the regional symposium host to raise community awareness about the benefits of the initiative, produce the symposium, recruit students, and coordinate year-round educational programs. Arizona State University is subsidizing the cost of meeting space and dorm rooms.
Sponsors of the program include the Helios Foundation, Arizona State University, Wells Fargo, General Dynamics C4 Systems, the Maricopa Community College District, SCF Arizona, Salt River Project, Frito-Lay, Google, Jobing, the Social Security Administration, and Talon Community Services.
To participate, students must be residents Maricopa County; have a GPA of 2.5 or higher; complete an application and essay; and be Hispanic.
To learn more about the Hispanic Youth Symposium in Phoenix, visit http://www.hispanicyouth.org/symposium-phoenix.
For information on how to sponsor the Hispanic Youth Symposium, call Kathryn Grady at (202) 527-0372 or email her at kgrady@hispanicfund.org.
About the Hispanic College Fund
Founded in 1993, the Hispanic College Fund provides Hispanic high school and college students with the vision, resources, and mentorship needed to become community leaders and achieve successful careers in business, science, technology, engineering, and math. For 15 years the Hispanic College Fund has provided scholarships and programs to students throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, establishing a career pipeline of talented and career-driven Hispanics.
The Hispanic College Fund has an annual budget of $6 million with 20 full-time employees. In 2006, the Hispanic College Fund received the Brillante award for “Nonprofit of the Year” from the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, and in 2007 was recognized by USA Today as one of the nation’s top 25 charities.
Website: www.hispanicfund.org
About the AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute
The AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute (AGUILA) is a unique college access program for Latino and Latina youth that helps to build a web of support through consistency and powerful messaging. Students begin AGUILA as high school juniors, attending monthly seminars focusing on personal growth, leadership and college preparation for continuation into AGUILA’s intense senior program.
Participation in the Phoenix Hispanic Youth Symposium will provide sophomores the opportunity to join AGUILA in the spring of 2009 as part of AGUILA’s vision to ultimately serve high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors.
Seniors continue to meet once a month focusing on college admissions and funding as well as participation in activities that promote cultural heritage, academic success, civic engagement, leadership, positive self-esteem and healthy relationships. Seniors are honored at a special celebration in May of each year, marking their rite of passage from high school to college in the AGUILA Honors Convocation. AGUILA then provides follow-up and continued support for students through the AGUILA Alumni Association as the students matriculate through college.
Website: www.aguilayouth.org
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Contact: Lisa Sandoval, Director of Communications, (202) 296-5400 ext. 117
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