News

Tomorrow (May 12), 75 students from Northeast Portland’s Woodlawn Elementary School will be on Portland State University’s campus as a part of Northwest Education Loan Association’s (NELA) “I’m Going to College” Program. On May 27, over 150 students from Hillsboro’s Orenco Elementary School will participate in the same program.

“This is a great opportunity for our kids. It is like a dream they've had that they don't know much about,” said Woodlawn Elementary Principal Jack Ubik. “Learning about college should serve as an inspiration. Many of our kids are first-time visitors to a college campus—from now on when people talk about college, they will be able to relate and envision themselves participating in higher education. Hopefully it will inspire them to perform at higher levels in elementary and high schools.”

Portland State is one of only two colleges or universities in Oregon participating in the program (the other is the Oregon Institute of Technology). The students will be on campus from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will participate in an orientation to PSU, a campus tour and a faculty lecture.

According to NELA, the I’m Going to College program was developed in 1990 in response to the small number of low-income, minority students enrolled in college. Its mission is to educate children about the advantages of higher education and to have them experience college first hand at a local college campus. This is the first year that Portland State has participated in the program.

“The I'm Going to College program is an opportunity for elementary school students to begin thinking about college as a part of their future plans—the visit to Portland State will make a lasting impression on the students and inspire them to think about their futures in new and exciting ways,” said Reiko Williams, associate director of PSU’s Office of Admissions, Records and Financial Aid.

Portland State University, Oregon's only urban university, is the largest and most diverse in the state system. The University's position in Oregon's economic and cultural center allows for deep community engagement and the creation of partnerships with hundreds of organizations throughout the region—partnerships that give PSU students valuable learning opportunities as they solve real-world problems of business and community. Portland State offers more than 100 undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees, as well as graduate certificates and continuing education programs. PSU serves more students and confers more master's degrees annually than any other Oregon university.

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Release Number: 04-064