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But I always thought I would go to
college, so I never gave up on the idea; I just needed to
figure out how to make it happen,” said Ochoa.
Six years later, as a young man in
community college, Ochoa can't remember ever sitting down
and seriously discussing with anyone where and when he would
complete his bachelor's degree. He knew he wanted, and
needed, a bachelor's degree, even if he wasn't entirely sure
in which major. Like many other students, Ochoa was just
"taking his basics." When he finally did decide, his ideas
of what it meant to transfer to "the university" caused him
to put off actually going until he figured out how to make
it happen.
“These wrong ideas cost me many years
of my life that could have been far more productive and
fulfilling,” Ochoa said.
According to Ochoa, the focus of the
Letting Education Achieve Dreams program, or LEAD, at the
University of Houston-Victoria is finding high school,
community college and adult students in the Victoria area
and helping them figure out how to "make it happen." The
LEAD program targets minority, first-generation and
low-income students. The goal is to show them how to achieve
their dream of completing bachelor's or master's degrees
here in Victoria at UHV and providing them with the
information and assistance they need to make it a reality.
Ochoa further explained that, at the
high school level, LEAD began a pilot program at the
beginning of the spring at Profit Magnet High School.
Throughout the semester, a LEAD staff member has been
providing one-on-one college counseling sessions with every
senior. Students are given assistance with completing
admissions and financial aid applications. The LEAD staff
member also follows up with students to make sure help is
there when any obstacles come up. Next year, LEAD hopes to
duplicate this program at other area high schools.
As part of another outreach effort, the
LEAD Community College Program coordinators visit community
colleges in our area every week. They discuss transfer
options with prospective students, coordinate campus tours
and provide step-by-step help with the admissions and
financial aid process.
Finally, Ochoa stated that the LEAD
program is working to build a bridge between UH-V and the
area Hispanic community, “Our goal is to make UHV an
important part of that community so we can work together to
help students. To do this, we are working to ensure that the
culture of the university includes the culture of the
community we serve.” Through a partnership with The Victoria
College, LEAD has been working to create an environment that
celebrates the Hispanic culture as part of the campus
culture. The partnership, called the Spanish Speaking
Initiative, has organized educational and cultural events
around Cinco de Mayo and Hispanic Heritage Month for almost
four years.
Ultimately, the goal of higher
education is to help people achieve their dreams and find a
better quality of life. It worked for that young man in high
school many years ago, and it can work for anyone in this
area. If someone truly wants to go to college, there is
nothing that can really stop them from becoming empowered by
higher education, said Ochoa. “Don't waste the years I did
trying to figure it out how to make it happen on your own.
Contact us at LEAD, and let us help you achieve your full
potential as soon as possible.”
Danny Ochoa is the manager for LEAD at
the University of Houston-Victoria. Contact him at
361-570-4893 or at
ochoad@uhv.edu. Ochoa was also the facilitator for
organizing the Professional Hispanic Association.
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