February 28th, 2013 • Access for Students, Impact on California
By Timothy P. White
California State University Chancellor
Alumnus of Fresno State and CSU East Bay
At West Angeles Cathedral, CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White (right) meets with the actors who portrayed the story of Autherine Lucy, the first African American student to enroll at the University of Alabama.
It is an amazing thing to be welcomed into someone’s home, treated as a member of the family and given a place of honor. More amazing is to know that the visit preludes a long future of close partnership, that we have formed a family of common interest with shared plans for the future and hopes for our children. This is how I feel along every step of the journey that we call CSU Super Sunday and the CSU African American Initiative.
Pastor Antonio Alfred of St. John Missionary Baptist Church used the apt analogy of rising up on the wings of eagles. It is true that the church and university working together can create lift for our youth to fly. It is right that we support each other in lifting our communities out of poverty and despair. It is profound that we have all recognized that it takes a village to love, support and guide our children every day to a better future. More …
Tags: African American Initiative, Alumni, Educator, Super Sunday
February 26th, 2013 • Access for Students, Impact on California
Throughout the months of February and March, many voices will carry the CSU Super Sunday message of college access. Below are just a few images from Feb. 24. CSU Super Sunday events continue with the schedule available online.
CSU Trustee Hugo N. Morales rejoins the Saints Community Church of God in Christ congregation after his remarks. The trustee and Harvard graduate, who grew up in a Central Valley family of farm workers, related the struggles of his own educational journey to those barriers faced by many youth.
Between services at West Angeles Cathedral, CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White (left) and Bishop Charles E. Blake (right) share thoughts on equipping students with the tools to achieve a college education. More …
Tags: African American Initiative, Super Sunday
February 25th, 2013 • Access for Students, Impact on California
By La Roya V. Jordan
Pastor of Christian Education and Children’s Discipleship
Faithful Central Bible Church
Pastor La Roya V. Jordan
Paul writes to the Corinthians, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.”
I love that verse and it is so true about the partnership between the California State University and churches like mine. The brilliance of CSU Chancellor Emeritus Charles Reed was that he realized the university alone could not reach all children, schools alone could not reach all children, parents alone could not reach all children and churches alone could not reach all children. Yet, we together as the CSU African American Initiative strive to become all things so that we might save our children from poverty, frustration and the worse curse of all – failure to achieve their potential.
This month our efforts took shape as CSU Super Sunday. This clarion call from the pulpit focuses our efforts throughout the year, reminding both the university and church about our common mission. More …
Tags: African American Initiative, Educator, Super Sunday
February 21st, 2013 • Access for Students, Impact on California
Throughout the months of February and March, many voices will carry the CSU Super Sunday message of college access. Below are just a few images from Feb. 17. CSU Super Sunday events continue with the schedule available online.
CSU Bakersfield President Horace Mitchell (left), CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White (center) and CSU Chief of Staff Lars Walton (right) sit in the pews of Saint John Missionary Baptist Church as the chancellor prepares to speak to a Super Sunday congregation for the first time. More …
Tags: African American Initiative, Super Sunday
February 19th, 2013 • Access for Students, Impact on California
Rev. Tommy E. Smith Jr.
Pastor, Palma Ceia Baptist Church
Hayward, CA
Pastor Tommy Smith
Our democracy, despite its historical inequities and sometimes slow response, is nevertheless a masterpiece of human socio-political engagement. One of the keys and requirements of its ongoing success is the need to be innovative and creative in crafting solutions to needs that, for a variety of reasons, may not lend themselves to being solved by a specific governmental entity. The California State University Super Sunday program is a highly successful example of one such program. Super Sunday is a collaboration between the Cal State system and the African American faith community. This unique paring is based on two important realizations; the fact that African American participation in post secondary education needs to improve, and the fact that churches and other houses of worship are a very effective means of reaching out to African American students. Super Sunday is a creative and effective way to address educational under-participation by using African American churches to help “Spread the word!” More …
Tags: African American Initiative, Super Sunday
February 12th, 2013 • Access for Students, Impact on California
By Nicole Trimble
Parent of CSUN Students
Member of Glory Christian Fellowship
Volunteer at Morningside High School
I met California State University, Chico’s President Paul Zingg at Glory Christian Fellowship in February, 2010. He was participating in a program called CSU Super Sunday, a partnership between the Cal State system and African American churches across the state. From the pulpit, President Zingg shared the message that college is an attainable dream, a catapult for success and he personally wants our students to be successful at his campus. I took the president at his word and, after talking to the president myself, passed on contact information for the assistant principal of my children’s high school, Morningside. The Assistant Principal was a little apprehensive because she had never heard of such a partnership, but took the information anyway. The next day, President Zingg called Morningside’s assistant principal and now Chico State administrators are in continuous contact with a high school 500 miles away in Inglewood.
More …
Tags: African American Initiative, Service, Student, Super Sunday
January 29th, 2013 • Access for Students, Educational Quality, Impact on California
James M. Rosser
President
California State University, Los Angeles
Cal State L.A. President James M. Rosser greets prospective CSU students from the congregation of the New Covenant Baptist Church in Norwalk.
Like many of the thousands of CSU employees, alumni, students, and, of course, our partners in church congregations across the state, I placed high hopes on the Super Sunday effort and our collective aspirations of encouraging more young African Americans to enroll in college.
From those very first town hall meetings that inspired the CSU African American Initiative, to now our eighth year in this effort, our success is more than apparent; it is applauded and serves as a model for educational outreach and change across the nation.
Next month, when I again stand in front of a congregation to discuss the Road to College and the life-enriching benefits of a college degree, I look forward to making meaningful connections with the young people and those for whom this information is so critical. For some, shedding a little more light on the path is all that is needed. For others, the information is a call to action.
More …
Tags: African American Initiative, Educator, Super Sunday
February 28th, 2012 • Access for Students, Educational Quality
By Jimmie LaVerne Thompson
Education Consultant
CSU Alumni Council Secretary
Alumna of CSU Dominguez Hills
Thompson addresses a congregation of thousands at City of Refuge, with associate pastor Seth Gator looking on. CSU Super Sunday is Thompson's first time speaking in front of her church.
My grandsons inspired me to speak at CSU Super Sunday.
As I looked out on the City of Refuge congregation, every young face radiated that same spark of potential I see in them. Some people talk about youth as lost and aimless. The young men and women of City are not lost. They are found and they are alive with the promise of a prosperous and blessed future.
Last Sunday, my grandsons served as more than just inspiration. They served as ushers, taking on my typical church responsibilities. You see, I belong to the congregation of City of Refuge and speaking on behalf of the CSU was really a merging of two worlds. More …
Tags: Advocacy, African American Initiative, Alumni, Service, Super Sunday
February 24th, 2012 • Access for Students, Educational Quality
Believe, Achieve, Dream, Become
——————————————-
By Tanisha Washington
Alumna of CSU Long Beach
2009 Hearst/CSU Trustees’ Scholar
Washington in graduation regalia following her completion of a CSU Long Beach degree in management information systems with a special emphasis in applications development
“If you believe it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.” This quote has a lot of meaning to me. It was the theme of my valedictory speech when I graduated from community college and transferred to California State University. It was the opening line for my dinner speech when I celebrated earning my bachelor’s degree. Just as important, the first time I encountered this quote was on an oversized poster in the entrance to a homeless shelter I lived in on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles.
More …
Tags: African American Initiative, Alumni, Hearst/CSU Trustees' scholar, Super Sunday
February 17th, 2012 • Access for Students, Impact on California
The CSU Super Sunday message has already reached 17 California churches in the first two weeks of February 2012. The CSU Chancellor, presidents, trustees and other representatives have all taken to the pulpit to inform, to encourage and to inspire.
Now in its seventh year, CSU Super Sunday is a key component of the CSU African American Initiative that brings together the university, churches and community groups. Below are highlights from two Sundays, Feb. 5 and Feb. 12.
CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed delivers the college preparation message during Super Sunday at Crenshaw Christian Center in Los Angeles. In his hand is the ‘How to Get to College’ poster. The poster is a roadmap for students starting in the sixth grade.
Tags: African American Initiative, Super Sunday
No Comments
