DVD inspires Latino families to consider higher ed

PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University is releasing a new DVD aimed at increasing the enrollment of Latino students.

 

“Sin Barreras (Without Barriers),” is done completely in Spanish. But that’s just one of several features that make this DVD different from a typical college recruiting video.

 

Marcela Pattinson, WSU bilingual multicultural financial aid counselor and director of the DVD, said it tells the story of a Latina high school student who knows very little about college but meets people who guide her to WSU.
 
“The main messages we want students, parents, teachers and community members to receive from this video is that a college education is attainable for low-income and first-generation students. And there are many resources available to help them,” Pattinson said.

 

 

In the introductory segment, Pattinson explains that on average only 10 percent of Latinos graduate from high school. Only two percent of those graduates go to college. She said many factors contribute to these low percentages, including the lack of parental guidance and encouragement.

 

“Many parents work in difficult jobs late into the evenings. Some don’t understand or speak English very well. And they assume college is not an option for their kids due to the cost,” Pattinson said.

 

“This video shows that others have already paved the road to college for their children,” she said. “It emphasizes that a college education is the key to a better life.”

 

 

Lourdes Reyna, a WSU junior from Yakima, Wash., plays the leading role in the video.

 

The story begins with Reyna sifting through a pile of college brochures she received in the mail. She shares her anxieties about life after high school graduation with her friend Jonny.  Jonny is played by Jonathan Badillo, a spring 2011 WSU graduate. 

 

Jonny tells Reyna that he had a great experience at WSU and encourages her to learn more about the opportunities it offers. Soon she connects with a bilingual WSU recruiter staffing an outreach booth at her local mall.

 

With growing excitement, Reyna shares what she learns with her mom. They decide to visit the WSU Pullman campus together.

 

The video highlights their interactions with WSU staff members in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, Office of Multicultural Student Services, Admissions, the College Assistance Migrant Program, and Student Support Services. Feeling confident she will have the needed financial, academic and social support, Reyna applies for admission at WSU and beams with pride when her acceptance letter arrives in the mail.

 

The 17-minute video concludes with Reyna attending the Alive! summer orientation program and officially enrolling as a WSU student in the fall.

 

 

Reyna does not have formal acting experience, but she said playing her role in the video came naturally.

 

“I went through a very similar journey in life, as my parents knew very little about college,” she said. “I am very thankful for this opportunity to give back to WSU in this way and make a difference in the community.”

 

With the video complete, Pattinson is turning her attention to putting it on DVD for schools, churches and community organizations around the state. WSU recruiters will take DVDs on the road and make them available to students and parents they meet.

 

 The video can be viewed online by visiting the WSU Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships website at www.finaid.wsu.edu. Click on the “Ayuda Financiera” link in the left menu and scroll down to the grey box at the bottom of the page. “Sin Barreras” is the final item listed. 

 

Links to two other Spanish-speaking videos also appear in this box. “HB 1079” is a compilation of testimonials by WSU students who are first-generation, low-income and come from agricultural backgrounds. “Alive Bilingüe: La Bienvenida” highlights WSU’s bilingual Alive! summer orientation program. 

 

Pattinson calls the large video that appears at the top of the page “Financial Aid 101.” It is an introduction to financial aid and scholarships for Spanish-speaking families.

 

The production of the “Sin Barreras” is part of a comprehensive plan to increase the enrollment of Latinos and students of color at WSU.

 

WSU Pullman, which for reporting purposes includes the WSU Spokane campus, saw multicultural freshmen enrollments increase from 23 percent in fall 2010 to a record 27.7 percent in fall 2011. WSU Pullman received 1,348 applications from Chicano/Latino students for fall 2011 – almost three times the number received in 2006.

 

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Sources:
Marcela Pattinson, Bilingual Multicultural Financial Aid Counselor, 509-335-9729, marcela.pattinson@wsu.edu

Lourdes Reyna, WSU student and video actor, 509-339-3913, lourdes.reyna@wsu.edu 

Media contact:
Steve Nakata, Student Affairs and Enrollment, 509-335-1774, nakata@wsu.edu