by Angelica Martinez
Arts and Entertainment Editor
Funded by the James Irvine Foundation, the First Generation Student Success program is under new direction by Derek Vergara, former director of Housing and Residential life.
The program, which originally was funded for three years, is nearly beginning its final year.
Under his new direction, Vergara, who took over April 20, has successfully implemented two new programs, the “Springfest” and “Culmination Luncheon,” intended for students as well as parents.
According to Vergara, his transition has been “fairly smooth.” His main focus is to “understand what attracts,” and research methods for “success and retention of students. We need to know what needs they have and how they could be met.”
Among his new duties, Vergara seeks to have larger communication with first generation students and their parents.
Some of the challenges in achieving this include cultural differences and basic communication know-how.
“My parents are part of the first generation program and thanks to that, it has been a lot easier for me to be away from home. They understand better,” said Gloria Ramirez, from West Covina, freshman biology major.
“We deal with the cultural caveat here. Education in this program has come every which way,”said Vergara. “Parents teach us things, we teach them, everyone here learns. Moreover, it’s a win/win situation. We want your son or daughter to graduate. How do we get to that point?”
Although the program has continued through its first two years and has changed directors, the program is fully supported by the University.
Another worry often found by first generation parents has been the fear of family bonds being broken.
“We don’t want to break families up, we want to engage them in an experience,” said Vergara.
The research acquired throughout the program may possibly be used in other schools, although Vergara asserts the James Irvine Foundation is “very invested in the outcome of the program.”
However, the research acquired now is helpful in “detecting communication gaps and working through them.”
For the summer months, Vergara hopes to implement a mentoring program which will increase the amount of contact with the students. Vergara will also focus on next year’s first generation students for the incoming class.
Dr. Len Hightower, executive assistant to the president, said that out of the “half-dozen” applicants, Vergara was “best fit” with the demands of the position.
“What the Irvine Foundation was looking to support, was in line with our needs,” he said.
Those needs were to “promote greater understanding,” said Dr. Hightower.
“The faculty and staff are very supportive, and I would like to see the program as a positive thing, not as another group that needs help,” said Vergara.
Vergara describes the program as an element that is “educating for the future.”
