By Osiris Bahena
Staff Writer
Remember when you first looked into what colleges you wanted to attend?
Some of us looked for what fun activities were held on campus, what the dorms looked like, or how many championships their sports teams had won. For some, the school colors, mascot or popularity is what did it. And, yes, for a select few, the college’s academic reputation is what ultimately drew them.
Those questions and interests will be on the minds of hundreds of visitors to California State University, Dominguez Hills this Saturday, Oct. 20, as the university hosts an open house titled “A Day at CSUDH” from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The annual event is intended to familiarize CSUDH to high school and transfer students planning on attending a four-year college in fall, 2019.
However, it’s open for anyone to attend.
The university’s outreach program hosts a multitude of events throughout the year, but this is their biggest and most important event, according to Event Lead Outreach Counselor, Lorena De La Cruz, who will oversee the event for the second year since it started in 2007.
“We wanted to provide a lot of fun stuff in the beginning to kind of get students excited about the campus and then once they’re like, ‘ok we’re really excited about this. Now, what are the requirements? What do I have to do?’” said De La Cruz. To aid in the engagement, this year the open house will have its first formal presentation, or welcome, presented by Africana Studies Department chair, Dr. Donna J. Nicol.
The event will allow attendees the opportunity to receive early advising on the application process and receive information on how to finance their education. Additionally, students and their families will also learn about life outside of the classroom through student life clubs and organizations. To give students a real-life experience the school’s food court will be open and housing tours will be available. Information will also be provided for Dream Act applicants.
Though the outreach program does not keep track of whether students who participate in the event transfer to CSUDH or not, they believe the information provided at this open house gives students a good experience that can possibly influence their choice.
“Students can see how helpful our staff is. How helpful the faculty is. How they genuinely want to help students,” said De La Cruz. “A lot of the staff and faculty here on campus are alumnus, so they talk about Dominguez Hills in a different standpoint than someone who is not from Dominguez Hills.”
If current CSUDH students are on campus Saturday, De La Cruz encourages them to stop by and interact with prospective students. “Students connecting with students, that’s much more powerful. So if they’re available to do that we definitively encourage that.”
