Friday, January 16th, a group of sixteen Breakthrough high school students went on a field trip to Chapman University. The trip began with a tour of the campus where students learned about the college’s history and visited academic buildings.
After the tour, the group went to the student center to listen to a panel of current members of Chapman’s MEChA group. Daniel, an international student from Venezuela, and Lisette and Hugo, both first generation college students sat on the panel and shared their experiences with students. Also present at the panel were two Chapman professors: Doctor Luis Ortiz-Franco and Doctor Victoria Carty. Lisette and Hugo emphasized the importance of staying focused on education and getting good grades in school. Hugo encouraged our students saying, “I want you all to work hard. Every single day you have to work hard. If you work hard now, it will be easier in college and schools are going to want you.” Daniel also stressed the importance of staying motivated and reaching towards your goals. When asked what motivated him to go to college he answered, “To further my education and gain more knowledge!”
At the end of the panel, Doctor Luis Ortiz-Franco stood up and addressed our students repeating Hugo’s words of advice, “Work hard and it will pay off later. Don’t let tuition fees scare you away when you look at colleges because the money is there for you if you want it.” Fitting advice, as this week our seniors will be filling out and submitting their FAFSA forms during tutoring. We would like to thank the students from MEChA, professors, and staff for sharing their stories and advice with our high school students.
