Program helps farmers' children

By Jina Tedmori
Daily Forty-Niner

Cal State Long Beach freshmen who are children of farmers are now eligible for financial and mentor support through the College Assistance Migrant Program.

CAMP began nationwide in the early 1960s. This is the first year the program will be offered at CSULB. The first group of freshman enrolled in the program will be here next semester.

"California has five other program locations and it has the largest amount of migrant students in the United States," said CAMP project director Vivian Barrera. "Studies have shown that migrant students that go through the program are more successful in graduation than students that have not been in the program."

The migrant program tries to recruit first-time freshmen from migrant families and only accepts 50 to 70 students a semester.

"The CAMP program is trying to provide a helpful environment for the students that come from migrant families," CAMP peer counselor Richard Moreles said. "The lifestyle of moving around often affects students' studies, this specialized group of students all have similar problems due to their condition of living."

The program also provides students with financial support. Each student receives $400 a year to help with school costs.

At least one parent has to have worked in the seasonal farming industry for 75 days within the past 2 years in order to be accepted. But students who are seasonal farmers themselves are also eligible, Moreles said. Seasonal farming includes agricultural jobs ranging from fishermen to dairy farmers.

Students are put through a five-week intensive academic program when accepted, Moreles said. During the summer program, they live in the dorms on campus and have an academic schedule, receive credit and have full days of scheduled events.

Upon acceptance to the program, each student receives a mentor, usually a CSULB faculty member. Peer mentors also give assistance to the students, who help students in class scheduling and schedule group trips.