Dialogue series trains local families to prepare for higher education

By Krishna De La Cruz
University News Service
February 19, 2013

Melissa A. Martinez from the College of Education at Texas State University is hosting a series of higher-education workshops entitled Universidad Empieza en el Hogar/University Starts at Home. The series runs until March 28, occurring on Thursday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the CM Allen Homes community center.

The workshops created by Martinez will focus on empowering San Marcos’ Spanish-speaking parents with the knowledge and tools they need in order to prepare their children for post-secondary education.

“I am very excited to be piloting this program with the Center for P-16 Initiatives and hope that its culturally relevant and collaborative nature will allow it to grow and be sustained by parents in the San Marcos community," Martinez said. "We particularly want to draw on the assets of parents and families, and the support parents already provide their children in navigating the K-12 system and seeking a higher education.”

Martinez has been working with Liz Castaneda, grant coordinator at the Center for P-16 Initiatives, to ensure that this fundamental knowledge reaches the families most in need in our community.

“Students have heard the message that they should go to college, but without early preparation and parental support, the likelihood that low-income children will have the skills and motivation to persist in college is minimal," said Castaneda. "We need to engage the parents in a dialogue. That is what this program aims to do.”

These events are free and open to the community. Refreshments will be provided.

For information, please contact Melissa A. Martinez at mm224@txstate.edu or at (512) 796-2049.