FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, May 22, 2001

Brandy Ramos Nikaido
Office (559) 241-7512
Cell (559) 313-6539
brandy.nikaido@ucop.edu

UC PREPARES STUDENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL TRANSFERS FROM COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT VALLEY-WIDE CONFERENCE

UC High School Transfer Conference will be held this Friday at the UC Center, Fresno

FRESNO - To help San Joaquin Valley students prepare for a successful transfer to a University of California campus, UC will hold a High School Transfer Conference on Friday, May 25, 2001.

Valley high school seniors who will be attending community college are invited to attend the free conference, where they will learn about the UC transfer process, financial aid, course preparation and admissions information.

The forum - which underscores UC's commitment to expanding educational opportunities and access - will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the UC Center, Fresno, 550 E. Shaw Avenue, across from Fashion Fair Mall.

Sponsored by the UC Merced Office of Relations with Schools (ORS), the event is a collaborative effort between UC and the community colleges to help increase the number of Valley students who are eligible to transfer to a UC campus.

"Access for Valley students to a high-quality, affordable UC education is our top priority, and the transfer process is an important avenue for access to UC," said Encarnacion Ruiz, director of UC Merced's Office of Relations with Schools. "This conference will give students the information they need to start preparing now for a successful transfer to a UC campus in the future."

Located at the UC Center, Fresno, the UC Merced Office of Relations with Schools is the Valley's local source for information on UC admission, financial aid, academic majors, campus visits and all undergraduate educational opportunities. Serving more than 25,000 area students, ORS staff work year-round with middle schools, high schools and community colleges to give students greater access to UC. Since ORS was founded in 1986, the number of freshman students from the Valley who enrolled at a UC campus has more than doubled.

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In addition to its general outreach efforts, ORS also includes the UC Scholars Early Academic Outreach Program and individual advising sessions, workshops, conferences, and campus visits aimed at community college students who are interested in transferring to UC.

For registration information and more conference details, please call (559) 241-7474.

For additional information about UC programs and activities in the San Joaquin Valley, visit www.ucinthevalley.org.

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