By GREG HOLT, Staff Writer
September 27, 2006
Printed courtesy of Imperial Valley Press, El Centro, CA

Christine Rodriguez is on her way to becoming a clinical psychologist, and she said the Freshman Scholars program at San Diego State University-Imperial Valley campus was a major factor in her academic success. The SDSU-IV senior plans to move out of the Imperial Valley to attend graduate school next year but says attending college here as a Freshman Scholar gave her the community she needed focus on her education and still have a good time. “I could have gone straight into a four-year university, but I don’t know if I would have done well,” Rodriguez said. “It’s a good little community of students.”

Rodriguez was accepted for the first year of the Freshman Scholars program, a scholarship program that offers up to 50 qualified Imperial Valley high school seniors free tuition for two years at SDSU-IV in Calexico and also includes a book stipend.

Most SDSU-IV students transfer from community colleges such as Imperial Valley College, but Freshman Scholars are the only students who start at SDSU-IV as freshmen. “It’s a good opportunity for seniors who are anxious about leaving home or worried about paying for college,” Rodriguez said. “My parents don’t have any debts because of the scholarship.” The Freshman Scholars Program started in 2003 with 11 students but has grown every year since, to 26 students in 2006. Norma Aguilar, SDSU-IV freshman recruiter and program adviser, said she expects a full 50 students in next year’s class. “It’s geared toward students that want to go to a university but because of personal or financial reasons can’t afford to leave,” Aguilar said. “The dean who put it in place wanted to open more higher education options locally.”

Although Rodriguez said she entered the program after earning a 3.7 grade-point average in high school, Aguilar said a student with a 3.2 GPA is almost certain to get the scholarship. The minimum GPA required for admission is 2.0, and other admission requirements match the SDSU main campus in San Diego. Freshman Scholars also may qualify for financial aid. The Freshman Scholars Program gets most of its funding from local businesses via an annual golf tournament. Still, the program was almost cut in 2005 but was saved thanks to the overwhelming support of community members, elected officials including Rep. Bob Filner, D-Chula Vista, and the Freshman Scholars themselves, Aguilar said. “The student council got involved and we rallied support. The program was approved and got a five-year extension,” Aguilar said. It’s a good thing, too, not just for graduating seniors but also for the Imperial Valley. Marie Victa, a former Freshman Scholar graduating in May, plans to stay in the Valley to teach elementary school. “If you do well in high school, you can earn the scholarship and go to college and pursue your goals. And I didn’t have to get a job or get money from my parents,” Victa said. “You still experience college life, and you get the same education in a smaller setting.”