April 17, 2003
Contact: Mike Reilly (509-963-1200/fax 509-963-3022/e-mail: reillym@cwu.edu)
ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Nearly 1,200 Yakima Valley high school
students are visiting Central Washington University this week to learn
about preparing for college.
Students from Granger, Mabton, White Swan and Zillah high
schools made visits on Tuesday, followed by groups from Grandview,
Toppenish and Yakama Nation Tribal School yesterday (APRIL 16). The
final group, from Sunnyside High School, comes to Ellensburg on Friday.
“For many of these students, it will be the first time
they’ve visited a university campus,” Mike Reilly, CWU admissions
director, says. “We want them to experience what a residential college
campus is like.”
The visits are taking place under the auspices of Yakima
Valley GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate
Programs). The goal of the federally-funded program is to decrease the
student achievement gap across economic and social classes. It was
established in 1998 to create college opportunities for at-risk youth.
