cIcu | Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities

Contacts:     Dennis Kennedy, Director of Communications, Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (518-436-4781; dennis@cicu.org)

On-site contact: Terri Standish-Kuon, Vice President for Communications (518-436-4781; terri@cicu.org)

Karen Ford, College of Mount Saint Vincent (718-405-3345; karen.ford@mountsaintvincent.edu)

Amanda Holt, for The Sallie Mae Fund (703-984-6102; amanda.holt@salliemae.com)

Note: Follow the event live via Twitter: http://twitter.com/cicu

Free Latino College Fair and Paying for College Workshop with Spanish Translation
on Saturday, October 25 at the College of Mount Saint Vincent

Riverdale, NY – A free Latino College Fair is expected to draw hundreds of prospective college students and their families on October 25 from 12:45 – 4:45 p.m. at the College of Mount Saint Vincent. Specially tailored for Latinos, the event is open to all who are interested in gathering information about college admissions, receiving financial aid, and finding out how to navigate the application process. Real-time Spanish translation will be offered at no cost to attendees. Visit http://www.thesalliemaefund.org and click on the “Find a Paying for College Workshop” tab; http://www.thesalliemaefund.org/smfnew/sections/register.asp or call (518) 436-4781 ext. 32 to register. Walk-ins are welcome.

Throughout the day, admissions and financial aid experts from nearly 30 independent (private, not-for-profit) colleges and universities will be on hand to explain the college application process, discuss the availability of state and federal student aid, and provide helpful information for prospective students. Participants will learn more about the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) during an in-depth overview. One high school junior or senior student will win a $500 scholarship from The Sallie Mae Fund. A more detailed schedule appears below:
 
College Fair:                                  12:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Paying for College Workshop:         1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
FAFSA Preview Workshop:             3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Campus tours:                        11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Event speakers include New York State Assemblyman Peter M. Rivera, Charles L. Flynn Jr., president of the College of Mount Saint Vincent, Abraham M. Lackman, president of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, and Matt Yancy, The Sallie Mae Fund’s “Paying for College” workshop presenter.  Several other experts will take part in panel presentations.

The following colleges will be represented: Barnard College, Boricua College, Bramson ORT College, The College of St. Rose, College of Mount Saint Vincent (host), The College of New Rochelle, Cornell University, Fordham University, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Iona College, Ithaca College, Long Island University, Manhattan College, Manhattanville College, Marymount Manhattan College, Mercy College, Metropolitan College, Molloy College, Mount Saint Mary College, The New School, New York Institute of Technology, Pace University, Paul Smith's College, St. Francis College, St. John’s University, St. Joseph's College, St. Lawrence University, Syracuse University, Utica College, and Wells College.

The Latino College Fair is presented in partnership by the New York State Assembly delegation from the Bronx, the College of Mount Saint Vincent, the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU), and The Sallie Mae Fund to explain funding options for education beyond high school, the affordability of college through various types of financial aid, and the resources available to help Latino students and families prepare for the college admissions process.

“This Latino College Fair is an excellent opportunity that should not be missed by our youth. The event allows them to explore and visit with colleges that could give them a key to a successful future,” said State Assemblyman Peter Rivera. Currently, only ten of every 100 Hispanic kindergarteners in the state of New York will earn at least a bachelor’s degree, one-third as many as their white counterparts (32). The U.S. Department of Education estimates that, if current trends continue, of every 100 Hispanic children entering kindergarten, 63 will graduate from high school and only 11 will obtain a bachelor's degree by the age of 29.*

“Our research has found that while Latino families aspire to send their children to college, they often lack the resources to know how to pay for it," said Erin Korsvall, vice president of The Sallie Mae Fund. “Providing such information and tools for planning and paying for college at fairs such as this helps bridge the information divide for Hispanic families and encourages them to reach for their higher education dreams." The Fund’s data shows that nearly three in four young adults indicated they would have gone to college if they had been aware of their financial aid options.

“The Latino College Fair is an excellent opportunity for students and their families to discover what the Mount and other independent colleges throughout New York have to offer.  Students will find a lot. The Mount is a good example. With academic programs well recognized for exceptional quality, the Mount is also proud to be among the 20 most diverse colleges and universities in the country, public and private combined, and more than 30 percent of our students are Latino. Excellence and diversity among the Mount and other independent institutions is possible in part because of our shared commitment to financial aid,” said Charles L. Flynn Jr., president of the College of Mount Saint Vincent.

Hispanics made up 15 percent of the U.S. population in 2005, and are projected by 2050 to represent approximately one-quarter (24%). “While Latino representation in higher education is growing, more needs to be done. In thinking about the challenges we face as a state, we need to make every attempt possible to create opportunities and access for all students. New York’s 100+ private, not-for-profit colleges and universities are committed to assisting qualified students achieve their higher education goals. The colleges and universities have longtime experience in reaching out to Hispanic students, both in terms of preparing students for higher education and helping those who enroll to complete their degrees,” said Abe Lackman, president of CICU. 

Directions:
The College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale (upper Bronx), 6301 Riverdale Ave. (at Riverdale Ave. and 263rd St.), Riverdale, NY 10471; (718) 405-3267 or (800) 665-CMSV. The College is easily reached by car via the Henry Hudson Parkway or Major Deegan Expressway and by public transportation.

Subway: Take the Independent (Eighth Avenue "A") train to West 207th Street. Leave the station via the 211th Street exit. Take City Line bus #7 to the campus gate on Riverdale Avenue at 263rd Street.

IRT #1/9 (#1 train—Van Cortlandt and 242nd Street) to 231st Street. Take City Line bus #7 or #10 to the campus gate.

Bus (from Manhattan): There are Riverdale Express buses from midtown and lower Manhattan, east and west sides. For information and schedules, please refer to the MTA bus schedules (http://www.mta.info/busco/schedules/).

Bus (from the Bronx): Several buses connect with the City Line buses at Broadway and 231st Street. The #7 and #10 stop at the campus gate.

Bus (from Westchester): Change at Getty Square in Yonkers for the Mount Saint Vincent #8 bus.
 
For a map and directions, visit http://www.mountsaintvincent.edu/600.htm


*Data Source: “Conversation Starter: Latino Students and Economic Mobility through Higher Education,” published by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, Spring 2008.