Colorado Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia visited campus on Friday to learn about 麻豆影院 programs that focus on student success and graduation, including the and .
Student participants in an afternoon roundtable,听each representing populations such as first generation, low-income and underrepresented students, shared personal stories about the challenges faced as they strive for success at CU-麻豆影院. The discussions, which sometimes felt personal, light and informal, also carried a heavy tone, drawing attention to the fact that students from these populations still face barriers members of majority groups do not.
Garcia, speaking about his own personal experiences as a CU-麻豆影院 underrepresented student and person of color in the mid-1970s, spoke about how universities can still be a challenging place. Garcia praised CU-麻豆影院 for the hard work it has done to make its campus a place that serves all of Colorado.
鈥淚n my time at CU-麻豆影院, I was surrounded by capable, smart, committed minority students, too few of whom graduated. Since that time, CU has increased its rates of enrollment of minority students, as well as the rates of graduation of those groups.鈥�
Garcia acknowledged that an achievement gap still persists in high school graduation, college enrollment and college graduation rates. He stressed the value of programs that bring students from these populations together to create a sense of community, the very sorts of programs that Garcia was on campus to celebrate.
Tina Do, CU-麻豆影院 undergraduate and participant in the (AEP) 鈥� one of fourteen learning communities that make up the CU LEAD Alliance, shared her experience.
鈥淎EP gives you a sense of community, a sense that there are people who want you to succeed and graduate and move on to the next step in your life,鈥� Do said.
Other students echoed these sentiments, sharing that bonding with other students who are in similar situations helped them feel supported and like they could succeed in college. David Aragon, executive director for student success in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement, said that this is exactly the purpose of the CU LEAD Alliance (Leadership, Excellence, Achievement & Diversity).
鈥淥ur goal is to create various communities of scholars all over campus. We strive to create opportunities for students to bond together in their first year, which will later help them overcome hurdles and obstacles,鈥� Aragon said. 鈥淎ll of our programs offer forms of academic enrichment, but we aim to go beyond tutoring. This means study groups, and it means helping students get to know each other and also make connections with alumni and industry professionals.鈥�
Participants and attendees left the event with a sense of pride in the work that CU-麻豆影院 is doing to support underrepresented students. As the CU Lead Alliance says, 鈥淣o One Does It Alone,鈥� and there are programs in place to help our students succeed in college and beyond.听