July 22, 2010
UW Awarded Five-Year College Assistance Migrant Program grant
The UW Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity has received a five-year, $1.9 million grant funded by the College Assistance Migrant Program, or CAMP, in the U.S. Department of Education to assist students from migrant and seasonal farm worker backgrounds in their pursuit of college degrees.
Under the federal grant, the UW will provide academic, personal and financial support to 50 students annually who are engaged, or whose parents are engaged, in migrant and other seasonal farm work, and are enrolled or admitted for enrollment on a full-time basis in their first academic year.
Eligible students will benefit from services such as advising, educational planning, career/personal assessments, student stipends and tutoring that will provide the necessary information, support and skills for them to successfully complete their first year at UW and continue their postsecondary education through graduation.
“Many migrant and seasonal farm worker students have the desire to pursue a college degree but for a variety of reasons never have the opportunity to do so,” Gabriel Gallardo, principal investigator for the grant and associate vice president of student services and academic support programs for the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity.
“The CAMP program will certainly enhance the University of Washington’s ability to prepare talented students from these backgrounds to succeed academically at our institution. We will be able to contribute to the development of a pool of students that will become future leaders in our communities.”
Students will also be eligible to participate in the Summer Transition Program and will have access to supplemental instruction in a variety of courses. Along with academic support, parents and students will receive information about the college applications process, financial aid and campus resources available in both Spanish and English formats. Participants will also be connected to key community resources, employment referrals and childcare support.
“This program is especially helpful for the University to build its Latino enrollment as they represent the predominance of migrant and seasonal farm workers in Washington state,” said Enrique Morales, associate vice president for access, policy and planning for the minority affairs office.
Funding for the program began July 8, and will continue through June 30, 2015. For more information, contact Gallardo at gabegms@uw.edu or 206-221-2834.
