Recent high school grads get big Visalia campus ‘Welcome!’
This year’s High School College-Bound Bash attendees got a great introduction to the Visalia campus, program faculty, staff and a few student volunteers during the annual event on June 14th.
“This year, we had over 75 people attend, which included 2016 high school grads, their families, student helpers, faculty and staff,” says Susie Topjian, Enrollment Services Director. “Everyone who attended enjoyed music provided by our very own DJ Juan, played fun games, won raffle prizes, and ate the delicious food.”
Tours were provided to incoming SJVC students and their families so that they would have a good idea of their program’s environment, student resource center, message and break areas, as well as student support staff and faculty locations.
Visalia campus High School Representative Rebecca Petty organized the event, which is designed to give recent high school graduates enrolled in SJVC business, medical and technical programs a positive first look at all the campus has to offer.
“Existing SJVC student clubs set up booths to promote their clubs,” says Susie. “The clubs had fun games for the 2016 grads and their families to participate in.” The ASB (Associate Student Body) club had a photo booth, AMTSS (American Medical Technologist Student Society) had a cake walk, Pharmacy Technology program had a yard darts game going and guests made hand sanitizer that they got to take home, the Respiratory Therapy program demonstrated ventilation mannequins and the Criminal Justice program provided a mock crime scene for evaluation.
“The parents expressed to Rebecca and I that they appreciated being invited to this event,” says Susie.
Charmaine Wojtas, Linear Advisor for the Respiratory Therapy, Vocational Nursing and Dental Hygiene programs, and Amber Robert, First Contact, were the first to greet guests and guide them toward their specific areas of interest. Desserie Barnes, Financial Aid Officer, along with two Medical Office students, conducted campus tours.
“A special shout-out goes to Charmaine and Amber, as well as all of the Visalia Clubs and their Club Advisors who set up booths, our Financial Aid Department who set up a booth promoting iGrad, our Visalia Facilities for event set-up, and our Criminal Justice students who cleaned up after the event,” says Susie. “Thank you all for changing the lives of our 2016 grads and their families.”
21 graduating high school seniors and their supportive families were celebrated for the commitment they made to further their education and chart new career paths.