Harper College will be closed Friday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.
When Ana Guillen Boza arrived from Spain three years ago, she was a senior in high school and unsure of what steps to take to continue her education. After her sister discovered Harper College and enrolled, she told Ana about PASO: Project Assistance, Surpassing Obstacles – Harper’s recruitment strategy designed to engage Latine families throughout the enrollment process. Ana attended a PASO event and learned that community colleges offer a flexible and affordable option close to home.
“I went with my mom, and we learned about the U.S. educational system because that was all new for me, so that really helped my family,” she said. “I learned about the academic and financial resources, which also helped a lot because I didn’t know about scholarships or FAFSA. I was able to apply for scholarships, and I got the Ignite scholarship that paid for my first year of college, which was great.”
Latine students make up about 30% of Harper’s student body and the federal government designated the college a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in 2023. Nicci Cisarik DeJesus, director of student recruitment and admissions outreach, said PASO is designed with the unique needs of the families of Latine students in mind, but is open to everyone. As a recruitment tool, PASO helps families understand the college enrollment process and provides workshops on financial aid and other useful topics. It partners with local high schools and relies on direct mail and word of mouth to spread the word about the program.
“Many of our students are first generation, so they’re not familiar with the college process in the United States,” she said. “PASO provides an opportunity for students, typically who are Spanish speaking, to be in a room with other Spanish-speaking folks and get presentations and workshops in their own language. That education alone and being in those types of settings helps create a sense of belonging for the students and the families to let them know you are welcome here, you belong here and we will do what we can to make sure that you get on the path that you need to be successful.”
Operations Manager of Admissions Alejandro Mendoza oversees PASO’s operations and recruitment strategy and works as its program coordinator. He said his goal is to communicate the value of a college education and show how Harper can make the process easy for families through events and workshops.
“When we have events with families, we like to highlight the value of going to college because sometimes there are misconceptions about the value of going to college,” he said. “We give them information about Harper’s programs and resources, and then we’ll also talk about the differences in the U.S. educational system, what a community college is and what it means to do a career program or do a transfer program. Lastly, we go over the cost payment options and then the admissions process.”
Alejandro says that students who are involved in PASO are more likely to enroll at Harper, complete more classes in their first semester and achieve a higher GPA during their first semester.
Now a second-year psychology major, Ana, who lives in Schaumburg, works as a student aide in Harper’s admissions outreach office, scheduling appointments and providing guidance to new students – a job she received with the help of PASO. She said the support she and her family have received from the program helped her start college successfully and feel more confident and like she belongs.
“My brother is a junior in high school. He’s been coming to PASO events and is also planning on coming to Harper,” she said. “My dad has been coming to ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, which were recommended by PASO. So I feel like it really has helped all my family.”
Twenty-year-old Colombia native Oriana Pleuffo Novoa heard about PASO from a friend. The second-year marketing student said the information her family received about how to pay for college from PASO helped convince her mother that Harper was the right choice.
“When we finished the event, she was like, ‘This is the place. This is it. You will have everything, and when I leave, I know you’ll be in good hands,’” Oriana said.
The Schaumburg resident also landed a job in Harper’s admissions outreach office with help from PASO. She will be transferring to Carthage College in Wisconsin to pursue a degree in marketing in the fall and said PASO has played an important role in her academic success.
“PASO is an incredible tool for families because it’s not only the student, it’s also the family,” she said. “Sometimes we have parents who work full time, and they have other things to worry about, so having these kinds of resources takes the weight on their shoulders away. I feel like I have a hand right here that is helping me. PASO gave me the push that I needed to feel 100% confident that anything’s possible.”