Countdown to College to welcome 86 students

Countdown to College (C2C) students are on campus through Aug. 2. The first two weeks (July 5-18), Saint Mary’s is welcoming cohorts 3 and 4 on campus. A graduation ceremony will be July 18. Parents of the seniors are invited to join the celebration.

On July 19, C2C will welcome a new cohort of  incoming freshmen, and on July 20 returning sophomores will join them. These two cohorts will study on campus through Aug. 2.

This two-week program for students from under-resourced communities is offered each summer for four years, beginning just after they complete eighth grade and continuing until the summer before their senior year — helping to assure each student is prepared for a successful college experience.

The camp is free to student participants from San Miguel and Nativity middle schools and Cristo Rey and Lasallian high schools and their parents (who come the first weekend). Teachers from their schools co-teach with Saint Mary’s instructors, and help prepare Saint Mary’s instructors on how to effectively work with this growing population of students. C2C is part of the First Generation Initiative, which helps students prepare for and succeed at college.