Ortiz to support students
Campus Times
September 13, 1996
Britt Ortiz began working at the University Aug. 28 to implement a program
provided by a grant from the James Irvine Foundation. As Director of the
First Generation Student Success Program, he helps freshman and their families
adjust to being the first person from their family to attend college. Ortiz
came from Cal State Northridge where he worked as a coordinator of student
outreach. Freshman Amanda Holmes, discusses with Ortiz how she could benefit
from the program.
In order to support and assist first generation college students, a
grant proposed by the James Irvine foundation was awarded this past spring
and Britt Ortiz was hired as the coordinator of the new program.
Dr. Len Hightower, assistant to President Stephen Morgan, developed the
grant proposal because first generation students make up 30 percent of the
ULV population
The First Generation Student Success Program Support Grant is for all incoming
freshman who come from families where both parents do not have a college
degree and who are in "high need" financially.
Ortiz has had experience in minority engineering and worked with student
outreach and recruitment services.
He helps target first generation freshman students to go to school at the
University of La Verne and also help support families' financial needs through
the grant.
Ortiz said the grant is used to identify and service needs to help with
success.
About 50 grants of $1,000 each will be distributed this fall. The grant
money can be used for purchasing books, meal cards, and room and board costs.
The money cannot be used to cover tuition.
Freshman Jennifer Parsons, a recipient of the grant, has found the extra
money to be useful to pay for her books.