Undocumented Student Success Center Hosts Dinner for CSUSB and Local Community Partners
The Undocumented Student Success Center (USSC) hosted a dinner on Dec. 7 for 80 community partners and CSUSB students, staff, and faculty to share semester highlights, recognize former and current members of the President’s USSC advisory board, and celebrate its fall graduating students.
According to Jairo Leon, Undocumented Student Success Center Director, the purpose of the event was to gather USSC’s campus and community partners in one space to connect, dialogue, and strategize about ways to improve services to students at Cal State San Bernardino.
“I think there’s a real benefit for having everyone in the same room so everybody can learn from each other about how different areas are supporting undocumented students,” said Jairo.
The inaugural event is a new USSC initiative that will be held twice a year, once per semester.
During the event, the Undocumented Student Success Center highlighted its achievements from the fall. USSC’s campus and local partners also had the opportunity to share their successes in supporting CSUSB undocumented students.
Dr. Olivérez recognized the contributions of the president’s USSC advisory board members and announced the new board members for the 2022-23 academic year.
“The President’s Advisory Board is a committed group of key campus partners who work with the USSC in order to strengthen our campus support services for our undocumented students at Cal State San Bernardino,” said Jairo.
The advisory board was created in spring 2020 and its key campus partners include, but are not limited to, the Vice President’s Office for Student Affairs, the Office of Financial Aid, the Palm Desert Campus, Office of Pre-College Programs, Counseling and Psychological Services, and student and faculty representatives. The key campus partners help to identify the critical issues CSUSB undocumented students are facing and mobilize action.
The dinner coincided with the USSC’s fall graduation recognition celebration. The Undocumented Student Success Center had students who graduated in the fall and recognized their efforts and achievements at the dinner. Graduates had loved ones and parents place their graduation stole on them, and students were also given the opportunity to share with attendees what graduation meant to them and give shout-outs.
In the spring, the Undocumented Student Success Center will be highlighting the professional development opportunities available to CSUSB students, especially post-graduation pathways. This will be the focus for spring and the theme for the semester.
For example, “We will be bringing back our Undocu Career Week, where we bring various undocumented professionals, alumni, entrepreneurs, and scholars in order to have them share with our students what life after college can look like as an undocumented alumni with DACA or without DACA,” said Jairo. “Because there is always a path forward.”
In addition, USSC will host a graduate school conference and plan to expand its advising processes and services. The department currently has five peer mentors and will have an advisor in the spring.
Next semester will also kick off the Dream Internship Program for undocumented students at CSUSB. The program will allow students to work on campus, gain hands-on experience in their chosen major or career, and get paid. Around 100 students have registered for the internship program and 50 departments have requested interns.
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To access information about the Undocumented Student Success Center, click here