Mi Familia program helps Latinos prepare for college

After a successful first year, KU's Office of Multicultural Affairs has expanded its Mi Familia, Mi Futuro: Del Colegio Program, which provides information on college preparation and leadership development, in Spanish, to the growing Latino population in southwest Kansas.

This year KU will hold information sessions in Garden City, Dodge City and Liberal to address issues of social adjustment, higher education and preparation for Latino college bound students and their families. Since last year's program was well received in Garden and Dodge City, KU expanded to a third location in Liberal.

Goals for the program are to educate the Latino population in southwest Kansas of the importance of college, encourage students to consider KU as a transfer student and answer questions in Spanish regarding higher education with a family perspective in mind.

Last fall the University set a new mark for best minority enrollment on record. Minority enrollment overall increased 117, or 3.4 percent, to 3,537. Minority students now make up 11.9 percent of KU's overall student population. Efforts to reach out to underrepresented students and families at KU have proven successful in recent years, with minority first-time freshmen increasing nearly 10 percent. The University's HAWK Link and Multicultural Scholars Program both have been recognized as two of the nation's most successful retention programs for students of color.

Ground will be broken next month on the Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center, to be built north of the Kansas Union. The center promotes diversity and serves as a resource for minority students.

Mi Familia is a collaborative effort with Garden City Community College, Dodge City Community College, Seward County Community College, KU Hispanic American Leadership Organization, Academic Achievement and Access Center, Office of the Vice Provost for Student Success, Department of Student Housing, Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center, KU Writing Center, Office of Admissions and Scholarships, Office of Student Financial Aid, Student Involvement and Leadership Center and the University Career Center.