February 21, 2012

UCSB Early Academic Outreach Presents Higher Education Week

The Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) at UC Santa Barbara is sponsoring its spring Higher Education Week, a four-day, two-county event beginning February 28. It will bring representatives from universities, colleges, and other institutions of higher education directly to high school campuses in the Oxnard, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, and Lompoc School Districts to meet with high school juniors and discuss post-secondary education opportunities.

The event will include half-day visits to each of the participating schools, as well as two special Family Night Events for the Fillmore-Santa Paula and Carpinteria communities. The first Family Night will take place at Fillmore High School on Tuesday, February 28; the second will be held at Carpinteria High School on Thursday, March 1. Both will begin at 6 p.m.

Presentations, college fairs, and breakout sessions on topics such as financial aid and college admissions will take place at Oxnard, Pacifica, and Santa Paula High Schools on Tuesday, February 28. The event will move to Rio Mesa, Hueneme, and Channel Islands High Schools on Wednesday, February 29; and to San Marcos and Carpinteria High Schools on Thursday, March 1. The week will end with visits to Lompoc, Cabrillo, and Dos Pueblos High Schools on Friday, March 2.

In all, more than 4,500 high school juniors will hear representatives from the UC, California State, and Community College systems; as well as from private and out-of-state colleges and universities, including the University of Alabama, Seton Hall, and the University of New Mexico. Other participants will include the Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation and various Career Technical Education programs from participating regional community colleges.

"Higher Education Week is our largest annual college-going initiative of the year," said Britt Ortiz, director of the UCSB Early Academic Outreach Program. "The event is designed to maximize college access and financial aid awareness for high school juniors, and is supported by the high schools and our various pre-college program partners." He noted that many of the participating students will be the first generation in their families to go to college, and Higher Education Week will be their first college fair.

"Over the course of four days, we will address over four thousand juniors at the eleven participating high schools across six school districts," Ortiz added. "It's a great opportunity for students to have so many college reps –– at their school sites –– on one day. We are also very excited about having the local Santa Barbara high schools participating in Higher Education Week for the first time this year."

The mission of UCSB EAOP is to raise student achievement and close achievement gaps to increase the number of students who have the opportunity to achieve a postsecondary education. EAOP offers a variety of pre-college programs on an annual basis to give students the opportunity to visit UCSB, meet with faculty members, and conduct research or participate in other academic enrichment activities. Among the programs and activities are annual transcript evaluations; academic advisement; academic achievers' receptions; workshops on study skills and testing strategies; college readiness seminars; the Education, Leadership, Careers Conference; UC Success Night; and the Summer Algebra Academies.

About UC Santa Barbara

The University of California, Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience. Our academic community of faculty, students, and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society. All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as we draw inspiration from the beauty and resources of our extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.