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Boys & Girls Clubs Partner With UC to Prepare Youth for College

October 17, 2016

UC Merced is one of three campuses in the University of California system to team up with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to prepare young Californians for college success.

The partnership begins with three pilot projects in Merced, Pasadena and San Francisco, with the goal to reach more than 6,000 Boys & Girls Club members with information and guidance that will help them apply to and enroll at UC. Boys & Girls Clubs of America shares that goal while also seeking to provide services that will increase its teen membership.

The pilot programs will pair clubs with UC Early Academic Outreach Programs (EAOPs) at three UC campuses: the Boys & Girls Club of Merced club with UC Merced, the San Francisco club with UC San Francisco and the Pasadena club with UCLA. UC will provide college and career information as well as support and resources to club members, and clubs will offer current EAOP students access to club facilities and leadership opportunities.

UC Merced began working with the local Boys & Girls Club in 2006 and welcomes this opportunity to expand its outreach and do more college readiness work.

We’re really excited about this increased partnership with the Boys & Girls Club,” Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Charles Nies said. “UC Merced has been working closely with the Boys & Girls Club, and together we’ve served about 1,200 youth and 300 parents so far.”

The partnership is part of an Achieve UC initiative expanded by UC President Janet Napolitano two years ago to increase enrollment of Californians and enrich the diversity of undergraduates.

Eventually, all 10 campuses will provide club members and their families with college and career readiness information, support and resources, and host activities where they can meet students and faculty, visit classrooms and labs, eat at dining halls, and have questions answered about admissions, financial aid, enrollment and campus life.

We realize it’s a community effort to talk about college readiness and create that college-going culture,” Nies said. “This is an opportunity for us to partner with the community and work together further to further promote education and opportunities for youth in Merced.”

Brenda Ortiz

Senior Public Information Representative

Office: (209) 228-4203

Mobile: (209) 628-8263

bortiz@ucmerced.edu