For the second year in a row, the Hispanic Community Partnership Program (HCPP) was held virtually. Here, Charlene Mayers, executive assistant in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, tells us how being virtual opened doors to students who would not have been able to attend in person.
What was your inspiration this year for the Hispanic Community Partnership Program? Were there any particular goals you wanted to achieve?
Since it was virtual again this year, we wanted to reach more students from out of state. Usually when we have our program on campus, we only get students that are in state or in the tristate area. We were able to get students from California and Texas this year. It was great to get out-of-state students to join Adelphi for this program. Thanks to the support of University Admissions, we were able to get the word out to more schools about the program.
What do you hope participants learned? What do you hope they walked away with?
Many of our students tend to be first-generation students and we want them to gain knowledge on subjects such as financial literacy, the college application process, time management skills and the value of mentoring. If they are able to gain more knowledge about these topics, then we met our goals. We hope that exposure to these areas will benefit the students not just in college, but also in life. I believe that the experience that students walked away with created memories and lessons for a lifetime.
Do you have any overall feedback from the attendees of the HCPP?
Yes. Many of the students enjoyed the workshops, facilitated by our own Adelphi community members who shared their expertise. Students also liked the free times when they were able to ask questions about college life overall.
How do you see the program growing in the next few years? If so, what will the focus be?
My hope is that we will be able to offer both an in-person and virtual program, reaching a larger group of students, giving more students a chance to experience Adelphi. We also look forward to keeping in touch with the students during the academic year, serving as an ongoing resource for them. Our team believes that these early connections will help create a sense of belonging for the students, which we hope will lead to success in college.