On Feb. 8 the Office of Outreach partnered with the Black Student Union, the De Anza Associated Student Body senate, and over 15 Bay Area high schools to put on the African American Student Conference.
The goal of the conference was to educate incoming high school students about the college lifestyle, and provide them with information to help them make informed decisions about their future. While the focus was on helping black high school students, students from other races were also present among the several hundred that attended.
The conference started with two representatives of the BSU welcoming students. Host McTate Stroman told students to “embrace this whole experience.”
De Anza College President Brian Murphy took the microphone and gave an impassioned speech, encouraging students to continue their education beyond high school.
“What happens here is both your story individually, but it’s also this institution’s effort to bring you into that bigger story,” Murphy said to students.
The students also heard stories from past participants about how attending college helped them to achieve their dreams in life.
The keynote speaker was Ryan Stroman, a former De Anza student and UC Berkeley graduate who currently works at Google.
The students then broke up into groups, each led by a BSU representative who answered questions and concerns, whether about transportation issues, financial aid or other topics.
The Office of Outreach plans on following up with attendees in a few months time, making sure students know application, registration and other important dates. In the past, it’s estimated that at least 25 percent of students who attended the conference have applied to De Anza and registered for the following fall quarter.
The conference was first held in 2008, but budget issues prevented it from running again until 2011.
The Office of Outreach will also be hosting Asian/Filipino and Latino conferences next quarter as well as an open house in May. Last year, the open house drew more than 4,000 parents and students.
