CSUSM Leaders Call for Early College Planning, Take Message to Church for Super Sunday

California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) officials will be speaking at churches—one in Oceanside and one in Temecula—on Feb. 26 as part of the California State University’s Super Sunday initiative. The aim of Super Sunday is to connect with and inform African American students and their families about what it takes to get into college.CSUSM President Karen Haynes, Vice President for Student Affairs Eloise Stiglitz, Associate Vice President for Diversity and Educational Equity Derrick Crawford and Director of the Centers for Learning and Academic Support Services Geoff Gilmore will call on parents and students to begin planning for college admission as early as middle school and to enroll in challenging classes that prepare them for college.“By 2020, 67 percent of jobs will require a career certificate or a college degree,” said Haynes.  “We want to make sure that each year, more African American students graduate from college and are able to compete for these jobs.”Haynes will share the transformational impact that a college education can have on an individual, and Crawford will stress the importance of diversity at CSUSM to the congregants of St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 1524 Lemon Street, Oceanside, on Feb. 26 at 11 a.m.Stiglitz will encourage families to begin planning early for college and Gilmore will provide information on CSUSM student life and admissions during the 8 and 11:30 a.m. services at Mountain View Community Church, 29385 Rancho California Road, Temecula on Feb. 26.Following Super Sunday services, CSU outreach staff and church education counselors will provide information about college admissions and financial aid. Students and their families will receive information about CSUMentor, the Web site that prospective students use to find information and apply to a CSU campus. Participants will also receive the “How to Get to College” poster, which provides middle and high school students and their parents with step-by-step information on planning for college.The complete list of churches and schedule of events is available online at the CSU 2011 Super Sunday Web site and includes locations in Northern California, Southern California and Fresno.Who: CSUSM President Karen Haynes, Vice President for Student Affairs Eloise Stiglitz, Associate Vice President for Diversity and Educational Equity Derrick Crawford, Director of the Centers for Learning and Academic Support Services Geoff Gilmore African American students and their families.What: Super Sunday is a CSU program to connect with and inform African American students and their families about what it takes to get into college. CSUSM officials will speak to students, parents and community members about preparing for college, applying to a CSU campus and financial aid.When: February 26, 2012 at 11 a.m. (Oceanside) and 8 and 11:30 a.m. (Temecula)Where: St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 1524 Lemon Street, Oceanside, and Mountain View Community Church, 29385 Rancho California Road, TemeculaWhy: Super Sunday is part of the CSU African American initiative, which started in 2005 when Chancellor Charles B. Reed and Bishop Charles E. Blake convened community, civic, business and education leaders to develop new ways to educate K-12 students, parents and families about the value of a college degree to ensure a stable future.A central theme of Super Sunday messages is a call for students to begin planning for college admission as early as middle school and to enroll in challenging classes that prepare them for college.About California State University San MarcosCalifornia State University San Marcos combines the ambiance of a mid-sized, personal, modern campus with the unequaled value of the California State University. Since its founding in 1989, the campus has distinguished itself. Students benefit from the latest facilities and equipment, a superb faculty that enjoys teaching, and a rigorous academic program that prepares students for a successful life in and out of the workplace. A recent survey reported that our annual spending in the region was $161 million, generating a total impact of $307 million on the regional economy. 85 percent of CSUSM’s alumni stay in the region. CSU San Marcos is located on a 304-acre hillside overlooking the city of San Marcos. It is fifteen miles east of the ocean; just thirty miles north of downtown San Diego.