Invitation to education : UA tour shows Hispanics options after high school
Posted on Friday, April 18, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/64243/
University of Arkansas student Rafael Arciga still remembers getting the call that changed his life.
A Mexico native, Arciga moved to the United States in 2000 to be with his mother —who he described as an undocumented worker who moved to the states in 1998 to start a new life for her family. Arciga stayed behind and lived with neighbors while finishing elementary school. After finishing grade school, the teen opted to join the rest of his family in America.
“ It was important for me to be near them, ” he said. “ My family is very close. ”
Though his father had moved to California years ago, Arciga opted to be near his mother, who lived in Green Forest. As one of only a few Spanish-speaking students in his high school, the teen refused to allow language barriers to keep him from success. Through his school’s English-as-a-second-language program, the high school student was able to catch on faster than most. But despite his hard work, good grades and determination, Arciga said he feared that his status as an “ undocumented citizen, ” coupled with his family’s financial burdens, would keep him from continuing with his educational aspirations. During his senior year, however, Arciga’s luck took a turn for the better.
“ I got a call from an education outreach coordinator from the UA, ” he said. “ He told me they didn’t care about my status and that I had the potential to be an example for other Hispanic students. ”
Since then, Arciga has gone on to prove his mentor’s prediction of his future. In addition to earning both private and federal scholarships, the UA junior now serves as president of the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens and is a member of Phi Iota Alpha — the first Hispanic fraternity on the UA campus. Additionally, in 2006, Arciga became a U. S. citizen.
On Thursday, Arciga shared his story with about 80 Hispanic high school students from Rogers and Springdale.
The event gave students a chance to experience campus life, as well as access to the educational tools needed to continue their education.
“ We’ve noticed that Hispanic kids are under the impression that college isn’t a place for them, ” said UA grad student Jessica Fay, who helped coordinate the event Thursday. “ We had this field trip so these kids could see that college is a possibility for them. ”
In addition to a campus tour, admission presentations, student panel discussions and scholarship information, the event gave Hispanic students the chance to learn about their career and educational options.
Fay said she plans for the event to become an annual tradition.
“ Today we’ve had kids walking around wide-eyed, saying that they can’t wait to go to college, ” she said. “ I’ve heard them talking about wanting to become doctors and lawyers. They’re so excited. ”
Fay added that the hesitation to attend college for many Hispanic students stems from their family’s background. Some have never even been exposed to the idea, she said, while others would be firstgeneration college students. Some parents fear sending their children to college for financial reasons, she said.
“ I never thought that college was an option for me, ” said Diego Rodriguez, a freshman at Central Junior High in Springdale. “ Today I’m learning that we have a lot of opportunities for scholarships. After touring the campus and seeing the classes, I’m thinking of earning a degree in agriculture. ”
Alejandro Avilles, founding president of LULAC in Northwest Arkansas and founding member of Phi Iota Alpha at the UA, said information about college should be geared toward Hispanic students at an early age.
“ It’s up to us to open up their dreams, ” he said. “ The burden to attend college shouldn’t just be placed on the UA. It needs to start at an earlier stage — in high school or even at the elementary level. They need to know what the possibilities are, and it’s our responsibility to tell them that they can dream big. ”