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Volume 9, Issue 1 Fall 2007 Educational Opportunity Program
Maria Avellaneda is an EOP
student who returned this past
summer from an experience she
describes as a dream come true.
“I just dreamt of these places, I
never actually expected to be there
and actually see the Eiffel Tower
light up at sunset.” Avellaneda
said. “It was amazing.”
Avellaneda is a junior pursuing
a double major degree in
Criminology and Spanish, and
is one of the few students who
seizes the opportunity every year
to participate in the university’s
Study Abroad Program.
The program allows students to
study in 24 different countries for
either a semester, a year, or during
the summer.
Over the course of 10 months,
Avellaneda took 10 classes at a
university in Spain during the
2006-2007 semesters.
All the places Avellaneda only
dreamt of visiting became reality.
While in Spain, she trekked to
seven different countries.
“I traveled a lot,” she said. “I went to Ireland, London,
Morocco, Italy, France, Germany, and Paris.”
Before she began her voyage abroad, there were a few things
she had to take care of at home.
First, she had to prove that she understood the language by
taking two Spanish classes, eventhough she is a native speaker
of Spanish.
Next, she had to get letters from two professors, one of
whom had to be a Spanish professor.
“I needed to get recommendation letters so I needed to make
sure I got to know my professors really well,” Avellaneda said.
Finances, although important, were a mild concern for
Avellaneda, who used financial aid, loans, and money saved
through hard work to finance her voyage.
“Do not allow money to be an issue in your plans and goals
in life, because if you put money as the first obstacle, you’ll
never do anything, she said.”
She estimates total expenses to be around $10,000, much of
which she spent on traveling and says it was more than worth
the money spent.
The $10,000 included tuition, housing, living expenses, and
entertainment. And she didn’t live a shabby lifestyle either.
Avellaneda stayed in a four-bedroom apartment, near the
university, with three other girls where she paid about $300 per
month for rent and utilities.
She compares the experience to no other and said she gained
a new appreciation and learned so much about other countries
and cultures.
“One of the main things I learned is how we as Americans
need to understand that there are other countries out there,
other people out there, it’s not just about the U.S. and
Americans,” Avellaneda said. “What I experienced was life
changing.”
A Journey Across the Globe
“I traveled a lot...I went to Ireland,
London, Morocco, Italy, France,
Germany, and Paris.”
Maria Avellaneda
Maria Avellaneda traveled to over seven countries while studying abroad in Spain.
See JOURNEY on page 2
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Individuals and groups across the country,
including Fresno State administrators, staff,
and students, got involved in a national day of
helping others.
October 27 marked the celebration of Make
a Difference Day and neighbors helping
neighbors.
Three million Americans participated in
thousands of projects for the benefit of others.
Created by USA WEEKEND Magazine,
Make A Difference Day is an annual event
that takes place on the fourth Saturday in
October.
Participants across America and the
U.K. spent time visiting seniors, reading to
children, building homes, cleaning trash from
parks, landscaping, and performing countless
other acts of good will.
EOP counselors, administrators, and student
staff did their part to make a difference by
planting plants and painting street posts in
Old Town Clovis.
EOP Team Leader, Antonio Renteria, said he thought it was a
good idea to volunteer and beautify the community.
“I hardly do community service so I thought this was the
perfect opportunity,” Renteria said. “And when I found out my
co-workers were going to do it too, I thought I’d join them.”
This was the spirit of the 3 million Americans that all did
their part to make a difference.
Three Million Americans Participate in Make A Difference Day 2007
The EOP team looks
forward to working with
you. I encourage you to
continue to meet with your
counselor and peer mentor.
You are extremely fortunate
to be working with a
dedicated and committed
group of professionals who
often go beyond their duties
to make sure you succeed
at Fresno State.
Being a student at Fresno State brings new adventures and challenges at the
same time. It is important to stay connected with EOP and to further develop
your relationships with your professors and counselors. I’m very interested
in learning about the experiences of first-generation college students. In fact,
for my dissertation, I conducted a study that involved five CSU campuses to
look at how self-efficacy affects academic performance. My findings suggest
that those students who have high self-efficacy or belief that they CAN do
Believe…Persist…and Succeed!
well in school DO better than those students who
have low self-efficacy. In addition, those students
who use campus resources like EOP, tutoring,
asking questions in classes, etc. are more likely to
be successful than those students who do not do
those things. Having the belief and confidence in
your academic ability is one of the key factors to
successfully graduate from Fresno State. So how do
you increase your self-efficacy so you can graduate
in a timely manner? Surround yourself with people
who can support you and believe in you. Everyone
at EOP believes in you and your potentials.
Continue to ask questions…take advantage of every
opportunity that Fresno State and EOP provide!
Good luck on your finals! Have a safe and happy
holiday break!
Dr. Mui Vuong
EOP Interim Director
EOP administrators, staff, and students in Old Town Clovis.
Now that she is back, Avellaneda is pursuing her ultimate goal.
“My plans are to become a foreign language specialist FBI
agent,” she said. A foreign specialist FBI agent specializes in
working with countries that speak Spanish,” she said.
She considers herself a dedicated student and is committed to
obtaining her degree and fulfilling her requirements as an EOP
student.
“I like that EOP requires you to see your counselor,”
Avellaneda said. “Even though you don’t think there’s anything
to talk to your counselor about, there are always new things going
on and new changes.”
Avellaneda’s ultimate advice to students is to go for what you
want and don’t let anything stand in your way and that advice has
paid off big for her.
JOURNEY from page 1
Dr. Vuong and EOP team joined “Time Out” at
Home Coming Event.
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There are some people that are just born to excel and Bao
Xiong is one of them.
Xiong is a Hmong descendant who was born in a Thailand
refugee camp and came to the United States at the age of five.
One of five children, Xiong is the first person in her family
to attend college.
A graduate of Duncan Polytechnical High School, Xiong
was class valedictorian in 2005, maintained a 4.0 GPA, and
also served as the senior class vice president.
Now a junior, Liberal Studies major at Fresno State, Xiong
continues to excel.
She still maintains a 4.0 , and is an active member of the
Hmong Student Association (HAS) at Fresno State.
She attributes her academic success to hard work and
studying.
“I study whenever I have time,” Xiong said. “It’s work in
the morning, then class in the afternoon, and when I go home,
it’s homework until I go to sleep.”
Xiong added that her participation in HSA is extremely
important to her.
“It’s important to me because I expected to get help from
my community when I needed it,” Xiong said. “So now in
return, I need to help them when they need it.
Xiong is also a participant in the California Teaching
Fellows Program. As a teaching fellow, she has been interning
as a California high school exit exam math tutor at JE Young
Academy for the past two years.
A short term career goal that Xiong hopes to achieve is to
earn her degree in Liberal Arts, obtain her credential, and then
teach in the Fresno Unified School District.
She is well on her way. More than halfway through her
program, Xiong passed the CBEST in high school and is well
on her way to success.
Ultimately, she hopes to return to school and earn her
Masters Degree in Counseling or Administration Supervision.
Aside from working and studying, Xiong has other
interests.
“I love to cook Asian foods….I also love to grow and care
for various plants,” she said.
Xiong’s defining message to students and any one who has
a dream is simple.
“Don’t let fear stand in your way of becoming someone,”
she said. “Let life’s challenges change and shape who you
will become.”
Driven to Succeed
“Don’t let fear stand in your
way of becoming someone.”
Bao Xiong
Moving Through, Moving On
Moving in, moving
through, and moving on—
that’s exactly what Patricia
Gallardo did, a Social
Work major completing her
internship with EOP.
Gallardo comes from a
Mexican migrant family
and is the first person in her
family to attend college.
She transferred to Fresno
State as a first-generation
college student in 2005, after
earning her Associate Degree
from Reedley Community College.
While at Fresno State, Gallardo has earned and maintained a
3.8 GPA which she attributes to hard work and dedication.
Gallardo worked with second year students as a Team
Leader for one semester, and with third year students as an
Undergraduate Intern for the second semester of her internship.
Gallardo describes her internship as a great experience. She
said she received a lot of support and learned how to build
rapport with students, develop and facilitate workshops, and
navigate through the CSU system.
“I really enjoy being able to help students,” Gallardo said.
“The EOP staff has been very supportive and willing to help if I
have any questions.”
In her spare time, Gallardo enjoys spending time with family
and friends, reading, listening to music, and shopping.
Gallardo will complete her undergraduate degree this
semester and plans on earning her masters degree. Her ultimate
goal is the become a high school counselor.
She models her educational ideals after the great English
philosopher, Herbert Spencer.
“The great aim of education in not knowledge, but action,”
Gallardo said.
Patricia Gallardo recently
completed an internship with EOP
Bao Xiong maintains a 4.0 and passed the CBEST
while in high school.
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Happy Holidays
from the EOP Staff
Fall 2007 EOP Bowl-A-Thon
Moving Higher Up, Through Higher Ed
The attainment of higher education is
a long journey that few choose to embark
on.
Maria Ponce always knew that the
journey was well worth it.
Graduating from high school in three
years, with a 4.0 GPA at the age of 16,
Ponce has been on the road to success
every since.
She is a first-generation college
student and believes that education is
the best way to achieve goals and make
differences in others’ lives.
Ponce completed an undergraduate
internship with EOP this semester and
describes her experience at Fresno State
as a great one.
“My experience has been very
positive,” Ponce said. “EOP has allowed
me to implement the knowledge that I’ve
gained through context and hands-on
experience in my education.”
She believes that EOP has also
given her the skills needed to grow as
a professional, as well as helped her to
define her long term goals.
Those goals include earning a Masters
Degree in Counseling, a Pupil Personnel
Services Credential, and eventually
becoming a counselor at the high school
or college.
Aside from being an exceptional
student with a 3.7 campus GPA, Ponce is
also involved in the community.
She has been a volunteer at the Catholic
television station, channel 49, for more
than ten years, and is also a member of
the campus organization, Trabajadores de
la Raza.
When Ponce is not studying or
performing community service, she is
busy caring her five-year old son and
being a wife. She also enjoys reading,
listening to Christian music, and spending
time with her family.
Ponce’s ultimate words of wisdom are
to believe in yourself.
“When you believe in yourself,” she
said. “You can achieve anything.”
EOP intern Maria Ponce plans to earn her
Masters Degree in Counseling and a Pupil
Personnel Services Credential
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Final Exams Tips
Follow these suggestions and you’ll be better prepared for
your final exams:
Review early, while material is still fresh in your mind.
The first reading of the material should be followed by a
break of several hours before reading the material a second
time.
Predict exam questions using textbook headings, class notes,
and previous quizzes and exams.
Several days before the final exam, plan to cover all of the
term’s material at least four or five times.
The last study session should be spent looking over the
material of the whole course.
Review the main points, especially those you find most
difficult to recall.
Go through the main headings of the text or your notes and
see if you can remember the content.
For the week before and during exams, life should be as
normal as possible and normal habits of sleeping, eating, and
exercising should be maintained.
Get lots of rest. A clear head is important for the successful
taking of exams.
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Before the Exam
The Day of the Exam
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Eat a nutritious breakfast (or meal) before the exam.
Arrive early and choose a seat where latecomers will not
disturb you. Do not sit by a window or next to the door;
you will be distracted and will lose your train of thought.
Look over the entire exam to see how long it is, which
parts count more in scoring, or which parts may be easier
to answer or require more time.
Answer the easy questions first! Attack only one question
at a time without worrying about the ones to come.
Outline before answering essay questions.
Leave a few minutes at the end to review your answers.
Do not second-guess your answers to multiple-choice
questions; your initial “hunch” is usually right.
Writing the Personal Statement:
Top 10 Rules and Pitfalls
Writing the Personal Statement: Top 10 Rules
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Strive for depth rather than breadth. Narrow focus to one or two
key themes, ideas or experiences
Try to tell the reader something that no other applicant will be
able to say
Provide the reader with insight into what drives you
Be yourself, not the ‘ideal’ applicant
Get creative and imaginative in the opening remarks, but make
sure it’s something that no one else could write
Address the school’s unique features that interest you
Focus on the affirmative in the personal statement; consider an
addendum to explain deficiencies or blemishes
Evaluate experiences, rather than describe them
Proofread carefully for grammar, syntax, punctuation, word
usage, and style
Use readable fonts, typeface, and conventional spacing and
margins
Writing the Personal Statement: Top 10 Pitfalls
Do not submit an expository resume; avoid repeating information
found elsewhere on the application
Do not complain or whine about the “system” or circumstances
in your life
Do not preach to your reader. You can express opinions, but do
not come across as fanatical or extreme
Do not talk about money as a motivator
Do not discuss your minority status or disadvantaged background
unless you have a compelling and unique story that relates to it
Do not remind the school of its rankings or tell them how good
they are
Do not use boring clichéd intros or conclusions
“Allow me to introduce myself. My name is...”
“This question asks me to discuss...”
“I would like to thank the admissions committee for considering
my application.”
“It is my sincere hope that you will grant me the opportunity to
attend your fine school.”
“In sum, there are three reasons why you should admit me...”
Do not use unconventional and gimmicky formats and packages
Do not submit supplemental materials unless they are requested
Do not get the name of the school wrong
Do not incorporate technical language or very uncommon words
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Stewart, Mark Alan. Perfect Personal Statements. New York: Simon
& Schuster Macmillan, 1996.
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Meet your EOP Counselors
Back Row (Left to Right):
Umaymah Rashid, Che Yang,
Bonita Gomez, Hector Amador,
Antonio Renteria, Maria Ponce,
Suzie Moreno, Abel Blanco
Middle Row:
Lauren Perkins, Rosy Lopez,
Marisela Lara, Maria Torres,
Claudia Rangel, Flerida Noble,
Mariana Alcala, Patricia Gallardo,
Marine Krdanyan
Front Row:
Cecilia Ruvalcaba, Carmen
Lopez, Kristina Hernandez,
Casimiro Llamas, Kevin Lee
Editor’s Note - The opinions in this paper are not neccessarily those of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) or staff.
If you have questions or suggestions please contact: Dennis Padilla at 278-1787 or e-mail [email protected]
Editors: Dennis Padilla & Marie Provencio
Writer: Umaymah Rashid
Layout: Jennifer Ward
The Link Staff:
1st & 2nd Year Unit Counselors
Continuing Unit Counselors
Tawanda Hall
G-L
Kizzy Lopez
A-F
Veronica Elias
S-Z
John Lor
M-R
Marie Provencio
M-R
Tony Garduque
G-L
Dennis Padilla
A-F
Wayne Byrd
S-Z
Mission Statement
The Educational Opportunity Program is designed to provide university access and retention services to students with academic
and personal potential from historically low income and educational disadvantaged backgrounds. The program delivers services
which empower students to complete their educational and professional goals.
Interim EOP Director: Mui Vuong
Ofce Manager: Rachel Cordova
EOP Admissions Coordinator: Irene Perez
EOP Administrative Staff:
