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Mesa, Arizona is a community that is home to about 125,000 Hispanics and Latinos - over 25% of the city’s population.  Approximately 40% ...

Friday, March 17, 2017

So Many College Choices? Help is Here!

When I was in high school, I was too tired and overwhelmed to apply for multiple colleges and universities.  I was surviving the present, and looking toward the future was not a priority. Upon high school graduation, I stumbled into my hometown’s one option for continuing my education.  Luckily, the local university proved to be a great fit for me.          
 
However, in the Phoenix area there are multiple higher learning options, and many wonder about the differences between a university and the Maricopa County Community College District. Below I will try to explain some of the key differences.



1)      University can be part of the education plan, even when starting with a community  college.  Choosing to go to a 2-year community college does not eliminate your opportunities to enroll in a 4-year university, in fact it enhances them.  For example, if you are not proud of your grades in high school, and now you are ready to focus more on being successful in school, then the community college can help you build a shiny new transcript.  
Additionally, while it is sometimes difficult to get accepted to some universities right out of high school because of the level of competition among applicants, it will greatly improve your chances of being accepted if when you apply you already have your associate’s degree.  The following website will describe some of the benefits of taking advantage of the MCCCD to ASU transfer program: https://www.mesacc.edu/transfer/transfer-out/arizona-state-university


      Career and Technical Education (CTE) is offered at community colleges.  These programs often offer certificates and job readiness training.  There are more than 30 MCC programs that offer over 100 degrees and certificates, and many of them can be taken 100% online.  
For example, if a student is interested in computers, then associate’s degrees are offered in computer programming, game technology, web developing and four other computer areas.  However, if the student does not want/need the two-year degree, certificates are also offered such as Mircrosoft Office specialist, multimedia technology, technology support analyst, and nine others in that computer information systems pathway.  Some programs offered: interior design, welding, veterinary technology, nursing, networking and security, fashion merchandising, automotive technology, and exercise science.  If interested, check out the website for additional information. https://www.mesacc.edu/its-all-at-mcc/career-technical-education



3)      Tuition Fees – Most college classes are 3-4 credits:
a.       MCCD Community College = if you are a Maricopa County Resident, it is $86 per credit
b.      Arizona State University = $692 per credit
c.       University of Arizona = $705 per credit
d.      Northern Arizona University = $696 per credit
e.      Grand Canyon University =  $688 per credit
f.        Benedictine Catholic University at Mesa = $630 per credit
g.       Capella University = $366 per credit
h.      University of Phoenix = $736 per credit
i.         Carrington College/DeVry or other Private Career College = > $15,000 to complete the 2 year program (like dental assistant)


4)      Faculty as instructors vs. faculty as researchers.   At the community college the focus is the student, while at the university the focus is the content.  Currently, faculty at MCC must complete a course that teaches the philosophy of the college so that those who are new to teaching will understand that our goal is to have our students complete their education.  Below is the description of the course:


In contrast, at the university the faculty is required to publish research articles in journals in order to maintain their positions.  Often they have teachers’ assistants who sometimes lecture and often grade student work.  A familiar phrase for a researching university is “publish or perish”.  ASU is ranked #1 in the US for research, and that is something to be very proud of, if research is the goal.


5)     Student to Teacher Ratio:
a.       MCC = 19 students to 1 instructor
b.      ASU = While the overall number is 23 students to 1 instructor, 20% of the 100 and 200 level courses have a class size of 50+


6)    East Valley Colleges Application Process:
a.       MCC (which includes all other 9 MCCCD colleges) = Free, with 100% acceptance, No ACT or SAT tests, no essay, no letter of recommendation, no  high school diploma needed.  
              * The tests that need to be taken are free, given on campus, and simply        determine what level of English, math, and reading you should be in.
b.      ASU = $50, with 83% acceptance. Requirements for admission must also meet at least one of the following -Top 25% in high school graduating class, 3.00 GPA in competency courses, ACT 22, SAT 1120
c.       Benedictine at Mesa = Requirements for Admission - 2.5/4.0 GPA, Top 50% rank in their graduating class, Letter of recommendation from high school guidance counselor, 21 ACT or 990 SAT , Extracurricular involvement at school, work or within the community


7)      Parking Fees:
a.       MCC = Free
b.      ASU = 30 day pass is $120, or can pay $8 a day





Interestingly, I spent many, many more hours creating this blog post than I spent on my own admissions process in college. :)  I hope that my years of experience will help you so that you can create the future you really want, instead of stumbling upon an unknown path. 


* I created the 1st image all by myself!  J
* The next 3 images were scans from brochures I received when attending a “Recruitment 101” workshop at Mesa Community College.  We were given permission to use them as often as possible, as that is their purpose.


Saturday, March 11, 2017

Con Ganas, Into the Future

Con ganas has always come easily to me because when I am in, I am all in.  If I make the effort to attend a meeting, then I am going to take notes and try to internalize the message.  I talk to college students about happiness and success con ganas   In Spanish, con ganas means with gusto, with vigor, in a lively way, wholeheartedly.  I learned about this principle when I attended a Latino Student Conference, sponsored by the Mesa School district and supported by community members and local institutions of higher learning. 



The theme of the event encouraged Hispanic high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors to work hard and to be outstanding students.  The following video was produced to explain the program.



As shown in the footage from the conference, Latino teenagers filled the building, each working toward a better future.  I watched as the students mingled, and gathered together as groups of friends.  Among all of those students, I only heard 1 pair of students speaking Spanish to one another.  Some of the presenters peppered their lectures with familiar Spanish phrases and references to the Chicano culture, but this group of students clearly represented the average young adult American.




With support from community leaders such as fire-fighters, city councilmen, police officers, and city employees, the youth in attendance were given information about creating a successful future.  Everyone in the room believed in the power of education, and the necessity for it to be accessible to all. 

Now I will help interested Latino students enjoy college success, and I will do it con ganas.  So many Hispanic students have proven themselves to be bright, hard-working, and incredibly grateful.  Although few have parents that are able to guide them into American higher education systems because they have not been there themselves, these students are goal oriented and determined to fulfill their parents' dreams.  Con ganas, we can work together to create a bright future for our community,

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Don't Let Money be a Roadblock to Your Dreams

I’ve been scrambling for money for the past couple of weeks:
  
1) I met with a representative from Americorps, a national service program that offers free labor. 
2) I asked my boss to look at the budget to see if she can find a little extra money for me.  
3) I talked to Dr. Barton about getting some funds from the college.  
4) I wrote an email to a friend, asking if he had some money lying around.  

It just seems so hard to get a little money for something that will absolutely pay off in the future.  I’ve got big ideas, and I just need some support to make them a reality.  I’m frustrated by the financial roadblocks to my dreams.
                

I have these strong feelings about a summer program that I want to create, coordinate, and run for first-generation college students in the community.  These "summer camps" allow for local soon-to-be-seniors or recent high school graduates to come to our campus for a week or two to begin creating ties to the college, as that is a huge indicator of education completion.  I first read about a similar program when I was interning last summer.  New students felt confident and excited to begin school the first day when they had positive experiences over the summer.  I would welcome all students to my “camp”, but my marketing would focus on the Hispanic community. The execution of this project could possibly be my capstone project.
                


Great, right?  I’m a hard-working adult who wants to provide opportunities for the youth that show so much potential.  I really wish I had the money to make this a reality.  I deserve the financial backing because I want to contribute something valuable to our community.  Still, I wait.  Still, I brainstorm other possible avenues of money collection.
                
I can only imagine the longing and heart-ache that many Hispanic parents encounter as they face financial roadblocks.  Although immigrant parents often face many struggles when coming to America to provide a better life for their children, once a college price tag appears, even the most hard-working Hispanic families often cannot afford higher education.   Undocumented students, even those students who successfully navigated American elementary schools and then graduated in the top 5% of their class, have additional barriers because they do not qualify for any county, state, or federal aid.  
                
There are scholarships that are not well known, but they do offer tuition assistance to those eager Hispanic students who do not qualify for traditional Pell grants and student loans because of legal status.  The list below was provided by the ASU DREAMzone initiative, and applies to DACA students:




For those Hispanic students that are American citizens, there are other opportunities for scholarships to help pay for college attendance.  Check out the website below to find more detailed information about the financial aid process.


Here are a few examples of scholarships can be found at BestColleges.com:







There are many more opportunities available to Chicanos, but it will take time, effort, and possibly an ally to help navigate the tricky course.  It will not be easy.  Like me, you will have to ask a variety of people/organizations for money and support, but the result could be life-changing.  Parents have sacrificed their time and students have dedicated their minds; continue to seek opportunities that will reward your efforts.  Don’t let money be a roadblock to your dreams.


For more information about options for financial assistance in college, please attend the workshops provided by our Financial Aid Office. 

https://www.mesacc.edu/intranet/sites/edu.intranet/files/uploads/events/2017/16-17%20Financial%20Literacy%2010132016.pdf

The information is shown below:



Stop Sign Image - http://pearlsofpromiseministries.com/god-allows-roadblocks/
'It's All at MCC' Image - https://www.linkedin.com/school/8036?pathWildcard=8036

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Dreamers/DACA Debate

I’ve had a lovely weekend spending time with some friends from Idaho the past couple of days.  We have been friends for 30 years, so we have watched each other evolve and grow.  I was telling them about my academic studies focusing on first-generation Hispanic college students, and I specifically mentioned DACA students.  My girlfriend didn’t recognize the term, but when I began to explain it, she commented that she had heard something about it while listening to NPR.  We discussed it briefly while walking through a beautifully landscaped area where a 15 year-old girl was posing for her quinceanera photo session.  About four hours later I asked her opinion of DACA students.  She said, “I’m so sorry.  What is that again?”
                

I think her response is typical throughout most of America.  No matter where we call home, we tend see things through that narrow lens.   Because I interact with treasured Hispanic students daily, immigration, deportation, and Dreamers are a part of my regular conversations.  On the other hand, my friends live in a bedroom community near Boise, Idaho where the 2010 Census reports, “The racial makeup of the city was 94.4% White, 0.3% African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.0% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 4.7% of the population.”  The level of diversity in their community is low, so the opportunities to build pluralism and reach understanding are few.

               


Let me educate, using information taken from:

http://www.immigrationequality.org/: 


***At this time, Immigration Equality does not recommend that you file for DACA if you have never done so before.***

On June 15, 2012, President Obama created a new policy calling for deferred action for certain undocumented young people who came to the U.S. as children. Applications under the program which is called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) began on August 15, 2012.
We put together the following FAQ to help answer questions about what this all means, who is eligible, and what eligible youth can do next.

What does “deferred action” mean?

Deferred action is a discretionary, limited immigration benefit by Department of Homeland Security.  Individuals who have deferred action status can apply for employment authorization and are in the U.S. under color of law. However, there is no direct path from deferred action to lawful permanent residence or to citizenship.  And, it can be revoked at any time.

Who is eligible for DACA relief?

Individuals who meet the following criteria can apply for deferred action for childhood arrivals:
  • are under 31 years of age as of June 15, 2012;
  • came to the U.S. while under the age of 16;
  • have continuously resided in the U.S. from June 15, 2007 to the present. (For purposes of calculating this five year period, brief and innocent absences from the United States for humanitarian reasons will not be included);
  • entered the U.S. without inspection or fell out of lawful visa status before June 15, 2012;
  • were physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and at the time of making the request for consideration of deferred action with USCIS;
  • are currently in school, have graduated from high school, have obtained a GED, or have been honorably discharged from the Coast Guard or armed forces;
  • have not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor, or more than three misdemeanors of any kind; and
  • do not pose a threat to national security or public safety.
Applicants will have to provide documentary evidence of the above criteria. In addition, every applicant must complete and pass a biographic and biometric background check.

How much does it cost to seek DACA?

The total fees for the application (including an application for an Employment Authorization Document and background check) will be $465. In other words, the deferred application form itself is free but individuals must apply for and submit fees for the employment authorization document application and the biometrics fees.

If I am granted deferred action, will I be entitled to work?

Every individual who is granted deferred action will be lawfully permitted to work. In order to be permitted to work, applicants must include an application for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in their application, which, when granted, will be valid for a period of two years and may be renewed. Applicants must wait until the EAD is issued prior to accepting employment.

    If I am granted deferred action, does that mean I have acquired legal status?

    The grant of deferred action does not grant legal status to an applicant. In addition, it does not cure such applicant’s previous periods of unlawful presence. However, an applicant who is granted deferred action will not be deemed to be accruing unlawful presence in the U.S. during the time period when deferred action is in effect.

      If I am granted deferred action can I travel outside the United States?

      DACA recipients can only travel outside the U.S. if they apply for and receive advanced parole before they travel. Generally advanced parole is only granted for humanitarian reasons, educational, or employment reasons. If someone leaves the U.S. without advanced parole being granted or before a decision has been made on their deferred action application, they will not be permitted back into the United States.



      As an ally of DACA students, I hope I embraced the opportunity to educate my friends.  While attending “DREAMzone workshops sponsored by Arizona State University at the beginning of February, I received a packet and the organizers encouraged us to freely share its contents.

      Thursday, February 23, 2017

      A Place to Stand is Coming!


       Jimmy Santiago Baca was a name I first heard at the beginning of the semester.  During Spring 2017’s opening meetings, the lead librarian was thrilled to announce that the poet Jimmy Santiago Baca would be coming to Mesa Community College on Wednesday, March 8th.  She was beaming with pride.  In addition, the coordinator of the Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) initiative added that his organization would assist in the visit because the poet wrote about Chicano issues.  Although I had not heard of this writer, because of the fuss that seemed to be put into his future arrival, I figured that I had better offer his lecture as an extra credit opportunity for my students.  After all, the timing went well with the content we were discussing in class: self-concept, cultural teachings, self-esteem, self-disclosure, and pluralism. 

      A Place to Stand was the title that rolled out a few weeks later.  The campus community was invited to read the book, join the book club, and enroll in an online workshop.  Whew!  This was becoming a big deal.  I decided that if I was going to encourage my students to attend, I had better be knowledgeable about the topic.  I went to Amazon to purchase the book and was surprised to see the amazing reviews.  I didn’t get it.  Amazing reviews for a book of poetry?  I read some of the comments and then ordered the audible version of the book for a quick start.

      Jimmy has been driving around the Phoenix area with me for the past couple of weeks.  For awhile, I was consumed with the sorrow I felt for the innocent child that was never given a real chance to excel.  Later, as he grew and made poor decisions, I questioned if he is the hero of this story.  Currently, as I am still in the part of the story where he is in the midst of his prison sentence, and I am wondering how he will redeem himself to be a man worthy of my college’s accolades.


      Yesterday, I watched A Place to Stand documentary in a room with about 20 college students. It was silent before the show began because most students were attending upon teachers’ demands, but it was silent after the show because of the honest weight of his story.  Jimmy Santiago Baca’s story must be heard.  The still existing struggles of many Latinos must be heard.  As active citizens, we must step outside of our protective bubbles to see the world from different perspectives.  A Place to Stand provides that opportunity.   It is up to us to decide how we will handle the information and how we will act on our beliefs.   A trailer of the documentary is included in this blog below. 


      Education is the action that will change lives and communities.  In the closing words of the A Place to Stand documentary, Jimmy Santiago Baca reads:

      “I was looking forward to becoming a teacher, because I loved language so much.  I loved education so much. I didn’t know education could be such a beautiful gift.  I didn’t know that it could give you meaning, worth, faith, and a future.  I didn’t know education could make you see the world differently.  I didn’t know that education could make you dream higher.  I didn’t know that it could make you a better human being”.



      First-generation Hispanic college students:

      You are not alone!  

      Enrolling in college will seem difficult at first, but step by step, through your desire, you will feel a strength you have never known before.  Look for the support systems offered.  Look for allies (people with information that you can trust) to help you find your way to a brighter future for you and your family.








      YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odE6Io-DEAE
      Career Guide: https://issuu.com/maricopamarketing/docs/careerguide_2016_maricopacolleges




      Saturday, February 18, 2017

      Adele, Beyonce, and Me - the Story of an Ally

      During the 2017 Grammy Awards, Adele swept the music competition, beating Beyoncé and her Lemonade album multiple times.  What shocked the entertainment industry was Adele’s acceptance speech.  Watch the speech below.  It was a speech devoted to Adele's belief in the superiority of Beyoncé's album.


      Much has been said about the speech – positive and negative.  To get a clearer view of the situation, it is wise to look at it from a female perspective, one black and one white.

      Black Perspective: Michaela Coel is a writer for The Guardian, and she is a British black woman.  Coel matches the race and gender referenced by Adele, so her opinion is especially valuable.  Coel writes:
      “Was there really a white celebrity on stage at the Grammys saying to a black artist: ‘The way that you make me and my friends feel, the way you make my black friends feel, is empowering’?  We’ve all seen clips of Adele’s inspiring acceptance speech at the Grammys by now. I clicked on the link to watch, and the first thing I heard was Adele saying: ‘I can’t possibly accept this award … I’m very humbled and I’m very grateful … but my artist of my life is Beyoncé. And this album to me, the Lemonade album, is just so monumental’…Adele had won, but had basically said she didn’t deserve it.”



      “Queen Beyoncé’s reaction was so graceful: she was as shocked as we were. Then she blushed as she cried: tears equally laced with humility and pain. Because of the deranged voting process of the Grammys, she would not be joining the ranks of the mere 10 black artists who have won album of the year since the award was created in 1959. Only 10. And none in the last decade at all. Did you know that? If it hadn’t been for Adele’s speech, I wouldn’t have either.”


      “I’ve since seen streams of tweets raging at Adele for ‘differentiating between races’, chirping ‘how dare she pity Beyoncé and offer her some kind of pathetic shout out’. I saw things differently.”

      “I screamed, ‘YES, ADELE, YAAAS’ – because what she did in that moment was rare: she thought the award should’ve gone to somebody else, and she told us the truth. She is rare in the creative arts industry…”

      Coel reported that Adele has been judged, but I must wonder who is doing the judging.  Coel is a black woman, and she embraced Adele’s recognition of race.  Beyoncé was the one being recognized, and she was not offended.  So, who is it offending?  I offer that it offends people who are uncomfortable inside their own skins and have not yet recognized the cultural realities in our world.


      White Perspective: Hannah Briggs is a writer for TheFrisky.com, and she is a white woman.  She often covers the entertainment industry and follows race relations.  Briggs writes:
      “Much has been said about whether Adele’s not-so-acceptance speech was the right thing to do. Some praised her, while some scolded her mention of her ‘black friends,’ her ‘mommy’ joke, and everything in between.”

      “I will say this, it wasn’t perfect, but it was damn near close… And she could teach us all—myself included—about how to be a good ally.”

      “Over the past few months the focus of how to ‘be a good ally’ to marginalized communities has become a hot topic. A Google search of the phrase will return millions of results with articles guiding straight/white/able-bodied/etc. people on how to help more or telling us what doesn’t—which is awesome, by the way.”


      “Fighting alongside members of groups that you don’t belong to while keeping sight of your own privilege can be difficult...she did everything in her power to draw attention to the injustice that she felt had just been done—even though that injustice benefited her.”

      “The biggest points of criticism that Adele has seen in the days since, have had to do with three specific words that she chose: ‘my black friends.’ Look, if that left a bad taste in your mouth, I get it. It never looks good for a white woman to mention having black friends when making a statement about racism…Adele’s shout out wasn’t to highlight her own non-racism—it was meant to highlight the unique experience of black womanhood expressed through Lemonade.”

      “Adele knew good and well that she won because the Grammy voters were not the people that Lemonade spoke to most. She mentioned those friends to show that she understood that she, herself, did not represent that demographic either. To ignore that fact in this context would have been a shocking, if not unforgivable, oversight.”

      “Of course, everyone was disappointed and confused when Beyoncé didn’t take home the top prize, but the fact that she didn’t is not Adele’s fault…she used the platform she was given to draw attention to the injustice and the importance of acknowledging the power of Beyoncé’s work on Lemonade (and throughout her entire career).”


      “At the end of the day, isn’t that what the best allies do?”

      Briggs repeatedly used the word “ALLY”.  She taught that by supporting others in a fight for justice, one can be an ally, no matter the gender, ethnicity, orientation, ability…

      Tawnya, the Ally: For the last few weeks I have been questioning if anyone would want to read a white girl’s blog written for the first- generation Hispanic college student.  I attended workshops to earn DreamZone certification (look for future blogs) where I heard the word ally, but I didn’t really get it until Adele and Beyoncé exemplified a respectful, appreciative, and supportive relationship.  Adele didn’t claim to identify with Beyonce’s struggles, as she never could fully experience those obstacles because of the color of her skin, but she did acknowledge the goodness that Beyoncé stimulates. 

      I am an ally for the Hispanic community in Mesa, Arizona.  I am an ally for those Latinos that overstayed their visas, for those whose grandparents struggled to own land in the southwest, for those whose parents brought them over the border when they were small children, and for those who have earned their American citizenship. 

      I want to provide a space for achieving greater understanding, because with knowledge comes compassion and respect.  I want to stand up for all of those Hispanics who have had such a positive impact in my life.  I may not experience the pain of minorities, but I stand in awe of the magnificence the pain can produce.






      Thursday, February 9, 2017

      American Grown With Hispanic Roots

      It is incredibly difficult to be a young adult.  Michelle King, A Sunday morning talk show host in Salt Lake City, Utah has declared, “The years between the ages of 18 and 30 are a complex phase of life…It is the DECADE OF DECISIONS because young people are having to make so many of life’s big choices — where to go to school, what do to do for a career, where to work, whom to date and marry, and how to pay for it all. Talk about pressure!” 

      People struggle beneath the weight of important choices, but those defining moments are amplified when the person is Latino and living in America.  Young Hispanics have been raised, and completed their educations, in a country that teaches that goal setting and hard work will lead to success.  However, when it is time to make life’s important decisions, these Latinos are often told that they are different.  While most are bilingual, many have never lived in a Spanish speaking country.  While most graduated from high-school, many do not know how to enroll in college.  While most communities claim diversity and tolerance, others have called for a wall and isolation.  Gaining self confidence and achieving identity acceptance can be painful for all young people, but consider the intensified situation of this Hispanic  population. They may feel torn between two worlds, but that should not be the case.

      In the following video produced by Univision, Latinos are encouraged to embrace the past they came from and celebrate the future they can create.  The Video declares “The New American Reality”.



      As shown in the video, Hispanics can stand with pride and strength.  For you Latinos, the decade of decision may be overwhelming, but you are not alone!  You are an important element in our society and offer perspectives that need to be shared.  You do not have to choose a single culture.  Make the decisions that will bring you and your family peace and happiness, because...
      You are the American Dream.



      Image 1 =  https://www.debtconsolidation.com/five-debt-facts-that-young-adults-can-use-right-now.html
      Image 2https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/99/8a/e8/998ae849d4dd9802e3f9303410b87758.jpg
      Image 3http://keywordsuggest.org/gallery/768208.html