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Contact: Julie Navejar
kajam03@tamuk.edu or 361-593-2590

University to host area sophomores, juniors

KINGSVILLE (November 4, 2005) — About 70 sophomores and juniors from Robstown High School will spend two days, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 11-12, at Texas A&M University-Kingsville learning everything about college from the admission process, to the best time to apply for financial aid, to the taste of cafeteria food during the Collegiate World Series conducted at the university by the National Hispanic Institute (NIH).

The best part is that it won’t cost the students or their parents, who come for a Saturday afternoon session, one penny. The cost of the entire event is being underwritten by lending institutions.

“The lending institutions are footing the entire bill for the two-day program to the tune of $3,060. There was no money in the budgets for that kind of money, so we looked to the lenders and they came through,” said Frank Ureño, associate vice president for enrollment management and dean of students.

The participating lenders include Sallie Mae Education Trust, Wells Fargo Student Loans, Chase Education First, Frost Bank, SunTrust Education Loans, Kleberg First National Bank, San Antonio Federal Credit Union, IBC, Citibank, First Convenience Bank, Wachovia Education Finance, Education Finance Services, National Education, Hibernia, Bank of America, EFSI, NelNet Campus Solutions, College Loan Corporation, Student Loan Xpress, USA Funds Services, LoanStar Educational Loans, AMS, Texas Guarantee, Compass Bank and Southwest Student Services Corporation.

The project is sponsored in part by Project CLUE, a 21 st Century Community Learning Centers Grant program in the Robstown Independent School District. CLUE stands for College Learners Unlock Equity, which fits into the purpose of the Collegiate World Series.

The Collegiate World Series is designed to help students and their families make informed choices about college. Those attending the two-day event do not have to choose to enroll at A&M-Kingsville for their university studies, but they will be armed with the tools necessary to make the right choice. Representatives from other colleges and universities in addition to A&M-Kingsville will be in attendance to talk to the students.

“Any program that you do that includes students and parents can only be a success. Most programs typically work only with students and the parents probably have questions,” said Dr. Rumaldo Z. Juárez, university president. “Bringing the two groups together provides the opportunity to answer questions in Spanish and English. Parents are very interested in helping their son or daughter and this type of program will help them do that.”

Chris Nieto, associate vice president for strategic partnerships for the NIH said that 98 percent of high school students who complete the Collegiate World Series attend college and 90 percent of them graduate in five years.

Nieto said the students attending the sessions will learn how to apply for admission to a college or university, what to write about for required admission essays and how to fill out a financial aid form, among many other things associated with getting accepted into college.

The parents arrive for an afternoon session on Saturday to learn their part of the college admission process, like what paperwork is necessary when applying for financial aid and what costs are involved in getting a college degree.

The National Hispanic Institute was founded 25 years ago by Ernesto Nieto to meet leadership needs among the United States Latino community. They focus on guiding participants so they are able to see themselves as responsible for shaping the future Latino world.

This page last updated 4 November, 2005