Conference brings in minority students
By MAURICE O. NDOLE
More than 100 students from several area high schools, middle schools
and elementary schools learned about college and professional life during
the African-American Recruitment Conference held Friday at Fresno State.
The students, from Clovis and Fresno school districts, attended various
workshop sessions conducted by Fresno State professors and professional
members of the community.
The event, sponsored by University Outreach Services, aims at motivating
students from minority communities to attend college.
Event coordinator Tawanda Bowers-Hall said it was a big success because
of the high turnout from the schools.
“We had between 15 and 20 schools represented and we hope to make
it better next time,” Baker-Hall said. “Our numbers doubled
and we awarded three students for writing good essays.”
The event awarded winners of an essay competition. Afia Amobeaa-Sakyi
from Clovis West High, Nicholas Davis from Computec Middle School and
Gifella Hernandez from Sunset Elementary School received plaques for their
essays.
The students wrote an essay titled “why failure is not an option.”
Three students from Hanford High said the conference encouraged them to
come to Fresno State.
Hanford student Jacque Austin said the workshops taught her about the
opportunity programs at Fresno State.
“It taught me a lot about school, like I didn’t know about
Smittcamp,” Austin said. “I think about Fresno State as my
college now.”
Korri Whitley said she learned what it takes to get through college.
“I learned about the requirements you need to get a degree,”
Whitley said. “They talked about more areas (of study) than I knew
about.”
Dominique Beasley said she was happy to learn about the diversity at Fresno
State.
“Diversity is great at Fresno State,” Beasly said. “I
didn’t know about the African-Ame-rican culture here. I knew about
it, but I didn’t know it was that deep.”
Alisha Taylor, assistant program director of Public Charter School, said
their aim was to give the students a positive image of Fresno State and
teach them basic life skills.
“I think our students were able to participate in discussions and
understand what it takes to get to Fresno State,” Taylor said. “I
liked the workshop where they talked to this generation of students about
respect.”
The students were also entertained by comic Feather Da-Wyz.
“I just wanted to make the kids laugh and make the day lighter,”
Da-Wyz said.
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