College assistance program gets $420,000
Since 1999, with Yolanda Bisbee as the director, the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) has been giving students from an agricultural background an opportunity to go to college.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Education granted the program $420,000. With this amount of money, CAMP will give scholarships to 35 new students. They will be providing the students with some tools and other academic assistance to help them succeed at the University of Idaho.
CAMP alumnae and the new director of CAMP Evelina Arevalos explained the importance of the program and how it had helped her as a student.
“This was back in 2000, and they came to my high school about March and they told me about the University of Idaho and about this scholarship program that helped seasonal farm working students,” Arevalos said.
Arevalos said the program helped her with the administration process and shared information about the CAMP scholarship. She knew that she would be the first generation in her family to go to college.
Victor Canales, the CAMP recruiter, had a similar story.
“CAMP really helped me transition through college. That’s what they do, that is their focus,” Canales said. “Without CAMP, I wouldn’t be at any university because I was thinking about going to college. I came from working in agriculture in the fields. I wanted something else for myself, but I didn’t have the resources or the money.”
Nohemi Ramirez, the CAMP advisor, said that not only does this program help students economically, but it also gives students a number of tools and opportunities that can help in their future careers.
“I think the biggest part that CAMP does for you is instill that hope that you can go ahead and reach your goals,” Ramirez said.
CAMP is about building a community of people, Arevalos said. It is about giving hope to students who don’t see college as an option, and giving them the opportunity. With this grant, there will be more stories like Arevalos, Canales and Ramirez, where they come out on top.
Jessy Forsmo-Shadid can be reached at [email protected]