President Mildred García represented California State University, Dominguez Hills during the CSU’s Super Sunday event on Feb. 20 by addressing the congregation of Family of Faith Christian Center, a local church that meets in the Loker Student Union. Pastor Sherman Gordon welcomed García along with special guests Congresswoman Karen Bass and Carson Councilmember Lula Davis-Holmes, who are both alumnae of CSU Dominguez Hills.
García addressed the parents and families of potential college students with the facts of facing the California’s economic challenges without a college degree.
“As we look at what is happening with unemployment, it is 12 percent in the state,” she said. “But [for those who] do not have a college education, it is 19 percent. So it is extremely important that we work together to ensure that [our youth] come to a place like the California State University.”
Dr. García also said that despite the financial difficulties of higher education, the CSU is still affordable and committed to working with at-risk communities.
“Our children are being lost in some of our communities,” she said. “Our dropout rates are astounding. CSU Dominguez Hills and the California State University truly believe that we must work together in partnership to ensure that our children have the opportunity for a higher education.
“The financial times are hard, but we are dedicated at the CSU and at our campus to ensure that your children and family become our family, and that they become the leaders of tomorrow.”
Representatives of the office of Outreach and Information Services were on hand to welcome church members to a more academic view of CSU Dominguez Hills, where FFCC has been gathering since its inception last fall. Porshe Gipson, a senior majoring in communications, said that Super Sunday at the Dominguez Hills campus supported the efforts of many African American churches to propel their youth to college.
“For the most part, churches do a pretty good job about letting the young people know about the colleges that are [nearby],” she said. “But it’s different from us being present. We know a lot of information to get [the students] here; the impact is great. It’s a relationship for the both of us.”
Juan Soto, a junior majoring in human services who aspires to be a probation officer, said that as he and Gipson were preparing their information table before the two services that Sunday, they were already being asked questions by curious churchgoers.
“When we came over here and started setting everything up, people came over to me asking me questions and saying, ‘Your campus is really nice,’” he said.
Soto said that the experience of presenting at Super Sunday also yielded some networking opportunities.
“I met someone from the probation department,” he said. “She gave me a business card… numbers to contact, and a few people to email. Whenever I do anything with Dominguez or Outreach, I always meet interesting people.”
For more information on admissions and enrollment at CSU Dominguez Hills, click here.
