Officials say the first 150 students enrolled will receive $ 500 each
San Diego City College students and faculty have settled in for Fall Fest at Schwartz Plaza
As staff at San Diego City College prepared for today’s Fall Fest, in which they announced that $ 75,000 in student aid will be distributed in installments of $ 500 to the first 150 eligible students, a crowd of students gathered near the Schwartz Plaza on campus.
But according to Marciano Perez, Acting Vice President of Student Services at City College, all students registered and attending today’s event will receive assistance of $ 500, which is being allocated by HEERF funds.
Pre-registration for the event, which ended last night, was a condition to receive the $ 500. Yesterday evening, more than 700 students had registered. This could mean that the total scattered today could reach $ 300,000.
“When we came up with the 150, it was our goal to get people to the event. And now that we know we have over 700 students, anyone who signed up and attended will get direct help, ”Perez said.
In addition to the $ 500, City College President Ricky Shabazz tweeted on Nov. 30 that a student would receive $ 1,000.
Thank you for joining us for this event. There will be prizes, food and a resource fair. Come explore the City College’s expanded WiFi Patio and Café. We have enlarged the study spaces. Some deserving @sdcitycollege will win $ 1000. pic.twitter.com/846qNdgPyR
– Ricky Shabazz (@DrRickyShabazz) November 30, 2021
The event, the first of its kind, also includes food, games, prizes and presentations by clubs and programs across the city and a study jam to help students prepare for the upcoming finals.
Mariam Mena, Coordinator of CalWorks Advisors and Chair of the City Women Rock Committee helped pitch a tent for Fall Fest & Study Jam on Wednesday morning.
The purpose of the festival is to focus on academics, but also to highlight the many student services and supports available to City students, including DSPS, EOPS, CalWorks, counseling, mental health and more, a Mena said.
“So you’re going to see so many different programs that when you work together and when the student asks for help from each program, it’s a nice circle of support network for the student,” said Mena.
“And of course there is food. At City, we love food. A wonderful way culturally, in my culture, to show someone you love them is to nurture them. Food will be available throughout the event.
Nancy Martinez, a social work student at City, who is also part of the CalWorks program, also helped organize the event.
Martinez says she was grateful for being able to work part-time until college, especially as a single mom. “It helped me a lot,” she said.
Perez said the means of distribution were still being worked out, but suggested City could use the app. Edquity, with which they partnered to distribute HEERF funds throughout the semester.
