Preparing for the future

By Douglas Sulenta
The Collegian

An annual event on campus for nearly the last decade, Fresno State Day is expected to draw up to 1,500 students and parents.

The purpose of the event is to allow perspective students and parents to meet the administrators and staff before they make their decision of whether or not to apply to Fresno State.

The event is designed to showcase Fresno State. Where this event differs from other similar events on campuses around California is most other programs offer only a tour. Fresno State’s comprehensive program informs students on how to evaluate colleges and to properly select the university they will attend.

“We have invited prospective students and parents to come. They will have an opportunity to attend workshops, academic sessions to expose them to the various departments and majors,” said Francis Pena, director of the university outreach program.

The group of students, comprised mainly of high school seniors with a few junior college transfers, will come to Fresno where the faculty and staff will have the opportunity to showcase what the campus has to offer.

Among a host of different activities during this weekend-long event, administrators will hold workshops on financial aid, career services and also workshops designed to help students and parents fill out the admissions application. These services come at a crucial time for parents and students considering the application period began Aug. 1.

Many of the on-campus student organizations will also be present to inform students of their groups. Among them will be:

•ML Asia

•The Anthropology Club

•Associated Students

•Bulldog Water Polo

•Campus Crusade for Christ

•Fellowship for Christian Students

•Golden Key Honor Society

•The Greeks

This year’s event offers a special attraction as well. This weekend being Homecoming, prospective students and their parents are encouraged to attend Saturday night’s football game against Utah State. “We tied it in with Homecoming,” said Bernie Vinovrski, associate vice president of enrollment services. “This is a great time to give some of the families exposure to the spirit at this particular University…We’re pretty excited about that.”

Fresno State has offered the families discounted ticket prices to the game as well as discount coupons at the Kennel Bookstore for anyone who wanted to show their Fresno State red over the weekend.

The timing of the event is also carefully scheduled around the temperamental nature of the Central Valley weather. “We always like to have it sometime in October because it’s not hot, it’s not rainy, and the weather is near ideal,” Vinovrski said. “You never want to have one of these in the first week of December.”

Featuring ample information and entertainment for the most curious of parents and students, Fresno State Day promises to put our campus’ best foot forward in the recruitment of new students.

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