KYLE M. JOHNSON
STAFF WRITER

Recently, CSUSM officials attended predominantly African- American churches in Oceanside and Temecula in an effort to encourage young black students to consider college.

These events took place at St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Oceanside and Mountain View Community Church in Temecula, where CSUSM representatives spoke to the congregations about the importance of a college education.

At Mountain View Community Church, Vice President for Student Affairs Eloise Stiglitz and CSUSM Director of the Centers for Learning and Academic Support Services (CLASS) Geoffrey Gilmore addressed the church about the affordable and high quality education offered at CSUSM. They both expressed their desires to help students succeed and thus transform their lives.

In order to illustrate the importance of a higher education in the black community, Stiglitz shared the statistic that about half of the current CSUSM minority students are the first in their families to attend college.

To show how possible it is for an African-American to graduate from college, Gilmore shared his personal journey through college while working three jobs and living on peanut butter, bread and Kool-Aid.

Following this message, students were asked to leave the sanctuary to attend a workshop set up by the church. While the workshop was intended for 7 – 12 graders, adults were allowed to attend, as well.

At the workshop, CSUSM Enrollment Services Information Specialist Ariel Stevenson shared a thorough presentation on the application process.

Gilmore addressed the admission guarantee programs CSUSM has with specific school districts in San Diego County and south Riverside County.

In a private interview, Gilmore later shared how the agreement also reaches a disadvantaged group beyond those school districts.

“The agreement is two-fold: to provide access to higher education to a population we serve—our local service area—and then to former foster youths,” Gilmore said.

The agreement is available to former foster youths in San Diego County and south Riverside County.

The Mountain View Community Church event, given the name “Super Sunday,” proved to be a success.

“[Super Sunday] generated a lot of interest. The message was delivered that students are welcome and supported,” Gilmore said.