Inderkum High attracted the president of the entire UC system, Janet Napolitano, and UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May to encourage, inform and inspire Tigers to attend a UC campus.
Their message was simple at the “Achieve UC” event Friday for 10th- and 11th-graders: Never believe that a UC education is unaffordable or unattainable. Get good grades, do your part, then we’ll do ours. We want you. We’ll help you.
Napolitano said students from families earning less than $80,00 a year pay no UC tuition, and that substantial financial aid exists for other students. More than half of UC’s California students graduate with a degree and no college debt after attending “the best public university on the planet,” she said.
Tiger graduate New Latthivongskorn also urged students to chase their dreams — like he did. After leaving Inderkum, he earned a BA in molecular and cellular biology at UC Berkeley, a master’s degree in Public Health at Harvard, and he’ll graduate from UC San Francisco as a medical doctor this year.
More than seven of every 10 Inderkum graduates enroll in either a two- or four-year college, based on data from last year’s Class of 2018. Thirty-eight percent of those Tiger graduates enrolled in a two-year college, and 34% enrolled in a four-year college.
After the hourlong assembly, Napolitano and May participated in a live audio broadcast by Inderkum’s College and Career Readiness student team. UC campuses also set up tables in Inderkum’s quad for students to obtain information about enrolling in the UC system.
UC is holding similar outreach events at other high schools, community colleges, and community venues in an attempt to expand the number and diversity of California students at UC’s nine undergraduate campuses.
Tiger students said they left Friday’s assembly feeling hopeful and encouraged.
Sydney, 16, said the message she got was, “If you don’t think you’re good enough, you are good enough. You can be in higher education.”
“Hearing what they said today really (encourages) me to apply and look more into the UC system,” said Summer, 15.
“I feel not only was it very informational, it was heartwarming and inspirational,” added Tanayja, 15.
