High school students visited various departments at San Jose City College on May 3, the event was held at the Chang Student Center.
The students come from many different high schools, such as San Jose and Independence high school. They came either with their school, counselors, groups of friends or classes, or with their teachers or parents.
The event was hosted under the cooperation of multiple departments, including: the division of Math and Science, the ESL department, Cesar E.Chavez Library, the METAS center,… and so on. High school students can come to each department’s table to meet with the representatives, deans or directors of it. Additionally, they were able to ask and receive direct answers there.
A number of activities were held for them to attend, such as: campus tours, the visit to the Cesar E.Chavez Library, the trials on the library’s services such as computers, lab rooms, the ESL department, the tutoring center, the private study rooms,… and so on.
Professor Sid Singh of Engineering and Math class, who was the representative of the division of Math and Science, introduced the engineering program.
“ Engineering is a new program, so we’re trying to promote it, trying to advance it for new students, so we have all these displays about the classes we are offering, the flowchart for this tuition, so when the high schoolers come, we’ll show them so they can take the class,” said Singh.
He also tried to promote the program to students.
“The special offer of the department is that the tuition is free, and unit classes are transferable. We’re associated with four-year colleges, if you go to San Jose State, you pay the tuition, here is free. We’re a new program and need lots of advertisements, that’s what I’m here for,” he said.
The high schoolers showed interest in the city college.
Guadalupe Chica, 18, an undecided major high schooler, heard positive news about SJCC.
“The reason I decided to choose SJCC was because there are a lot of beneficial programs that I saw, and I heard that this school offers lots of opportunities,” Chica said.
Ashley Zuniga, 18, a social work major high schooler, decided to choose what she likes as a major.
“I just really like the idea of being able to do what I want, and it is social work, and being able to help kids I guess,” said Zuniga.
Ashley also has people in the school that she knows.
“ A couple of my siblings come here, so that’s why I want to come here too. It seems like a very funny environment,” said Zuniga.
Zuniga said she did not get accepted to the school yet and she was enrolling on the day the event was held.
Dayra Mejia, 17, comes from Independence high school, chose SJCC because she found the career she likes here.
“The reason I applied to this school is because most of my friends are here, and the careers I like are here too,” Meija said.
Meija also said she either did not decide on any specific major yet, or plan to transfer to a four-year university but just finishing this level of college first.
Brisa Araujo Ramirez, 18, an undecided major high schooler, said that she decided to apply here mostly because it has more dance and art programs than they do in other schools like Evergreen.
“ I did consider De Anza because they do have good medical, kinesiology. And I thought here is a better place so I was just seeing what they have, and my modern dance teacher also suggested that the teachers here are very good,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez said that university is way too big for her, and it costs a lot of money.
“ I like to start out small to get the hang of it and then go up,” she expressed.
Kimberly Martinez, 17, biology major, comes from San Jose High School, said she chose SJCC because it is closer to home.
“ I saw a lot of opportunities here as well. I think I chose the right school to be honest because I’ve been feeling excited, I’m feeling it a lot here,” Martinez said.
Martinez also expressed how she felt about the school after the campus tour.
“I haven’t explored it all yet but I like it so far,” Martinez said.
Blake Balajadia, director of Student Activities and Development Department said that SJCC offers really unique programs.
“San Jose City College has been around for 100 years, so we have lots of connections in the area. The CE program, which is a Career Education program, is well-known in the South Bay Area and in the state,” said Balajadia.
He also talked about how the college assists visitors whether they are students of the school or not.
“We are a small family city college, there’re lots of people that work here, but we’re all very close. When we had these students come in like today, we did our best to take care of them. And someone who does the job of the City College Times can feel supportive. We wanna make sure that anyone who’s thinking about San Jose City knows for sure they can count on that when they come to the “City” there will be people who take care of them, will treat them like their own family,” said Balajadia.
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