CSU Dominguez Hills Goes To Church: Super Sunday Event Recruits African American Students

California State University, Dominguez Hills President Mildred García was among CSU presidents and officials who brought the college message to thousands of prospective students and their families during the Fourth Annual CSU Super Sunday in Southern California last Sunday, Feb. 22. President García was invited to speak to the New Philadelphia AME Church in Rancho Dominguez by Pastor Sherman Gordon.

Super Sunday is the CSU’s largest outreach to the African American community. Over two consecutive Sundays in February – Northern California churches were visited the prior week - Chancellor Charles B. Reed, campus presidents and trustees took to the pulpits to stress the importance of college and the need for parents and communities to help students get on track and succeed in college.

This outreach effort has yielded results: From 2004 to 2007, enrollment by African American students has increased nearly 20 percent, which equals 3,650 more African American students attending the CSU. Today, one in every 15 Cal State students is African American.

However, many challenges remain. African American students continue to lag behind in eligibility to attend the CSU, and in comparison with other applicants, they tend to submit incomplete applications. Super Sunday aims to reverse those trends.

Following the service at New Philadelphia, outreach staff from the university and church education counselors answered questions and provided information about college applications and financial aid. Students were introduced to
CSUMentor.edu, the website that prospective students use to find information and apply to a CSU campus and received the “How to Get to College” poster, which provides middle and high school students and their parents with step-by-step information on planning for college.

For more information, visit the CSU Super Sunday website.

- Amy Bentley-Smith