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April 28, 2003

Media Contacts: Edward LaMeire, (760) 891-0417, or Michael Dabney, (858) 822-3432

UCSD JOINS DOZENS OF AREA ACADEMIC OUTREACH PROGRAMS IN HOSTING FREE COLLEGE EXPO FOR PARENTS MAY 17

In an unprecedented effort to provide San Diego County parents with often-requested information on college and its affordability, some of the largest educational outreach programs in the region – including the Early Academic Outreach Program at the University of California San Diego -- have joined forces to host a College Expo(… for Parents) event on Saturday, May 17. More than two dozen organizations are involved in sponsoring the free event, which will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at various campus locations at UCSD.

The expo is especially intended for parents of 6th through 12th grade students wishing to obtain up-to-date information on: grants, scholarships and other college financial aid available and how to apply for such assistance; outreach programs to assist parents in keeping their children on track for college; the latest news on college entrance exams; information on college entrance requirements, and details on various two-year and four-year college and university campuses. Parents are encouraged to bring their middle school and high school children. Free parking and free breakfast is provided.

The program’s organizers believe the timing of the event comes at a critical moment in the lives of Californians. “We’re in the midst of the largest budget crisis in the history of the state,” says Linda Doughty, director of the California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP), a coordinator of the event. “Considering the status of California’s economy, there has never been a time where Californians have needed to take advantage of the state’s educational opportunities as much as now.”

The College Expo (… for Parents!) will focus on the needs and requests of parents regarding college preparation, as opposed to the typical approach of merely addressing the needs of students, says Nicole Jackson, assistant director of the Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) at UCSD -- another coordinator of the event. “One of the challenges facing all academic outreach programs is to get this information into the hands of parents,” Jackson says. “We felt that by collaborating on an event focused particularly on parent’s needs we could empower parents better to assist their children towards college, and to inform and support one parents.”

The College Expo (… for Parents!) will conclude with a college fair, which will include representatives from regional universities and community colleges. Opportunities will be available to network with other parents with similar concerns throughout the day.

For further information, contact the California Student Opportunity and Access Program at 858-569-1866, or elameire@ucsd.edu, or Nicole Jackson at UCSD’s Early Academic Outreach Program, njackson@ucsd.edu.

Presented by the following organizations:

AVID • Cal-SOAP • California State University San Marcos • CSUSM ACCESS • CSUSM GEAR UP • CSUSM SASOP • CSUSM Upward Bound • GEAR UP Crawford/Sweetwater • GEAR UP Gompers • Mesa College EOPS • Mesa College Readiness Programs • Metro United Methodist Urban Ministry Bound • Migrant Education Program • MiraCosta College School Relations/Diversity Outreach • Palomar College GEAR UP • Palomar College Upward Bound • Parent Institute for Quality Education • Point Loma Nazarene University • Puente • San Diego City College Outreach • San Diego Community College District • San Diego County Office of Education • San Diego Mesa College • San Diego Mesa College Outreach Office • San Diego Mini Corps • San Diego Miramar College Outreach • San Diego State University • SDSU Educational Opportunity Program/Ethnic Affairs • SDSU Student Recruitment & School Relations• San Diego Workforce Partnership, Inc. • School to Career • South Bay Parent Advocacy Group • University of California San Diego Outreach • UCSD CREATE • UCSD Early Academic Outreach Program • University of San Diego •