Driven by her own culture shock, educator designs University of Colorado Boulder orientation in Spanish
The move to college can be tough for parents and students alike. A language barrier can make it even harder.
That's why Nuvia Mendoza wanted to chart an easier path for freshmen arriving at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Today, she is the college success director at DSST: Montview High School in Denver. But arriving at CU Boulder as a freshman a decade ago left a mark.
"The culture shock. I was academically prepared, but I think one of the things I was not prepared for was learning how to step into an environment where a lot of people didn't look like me, and what it meant to find my own place, feel that sense of belonging," Mendoza said.
A DSST graduate herself, Mendoza worried about her own students venturing on to college. She knew there was a way to help.
"Why couldn't CU Boulder do Spanish orientation sessions? Because that would have been something that would have helped me a lot," she said.
This summer, CU Boulder did just that. The response from CU faculty who volunteered to help, and from the families of incoming students, was inspiring.
"I think what surprised me the most from the families who came, they were nervous. They had a lot of questions, and a lot of them had to do with 'How can I support my student? How do I know my student is safe here?'" Mendoza said.
Mendoza's mother also presented at the orientation. Mendoza has always known parents aren't an afterthought. They're a critical part of the strategy.
"Families are a big support system. They know their students best," she said.
Mendoza said her biggest lesson has been the importance of addressing students' hopes and fears head-on.
"You have to really meet students where they're at, and have those vulnerable conversations with them," she said.
As Mendoza prepares another senior class for college applications, she plans to apply for a grant to expand the CU Boulder orientation for Latino parents.
"So we can definitely have way more families sign up, and just provide that service to more people who definitely need it," she said.
