杏吧原创

EIU 杏吧原创 Counselor to Recruit Families, Not Just Students

Apr-01-2014

As Eastern Illinois University鈥檚 newest admissions counselor, Aseret Gonzalez plans to go out and recruit families 鈥� not just students.

鈥淭he Hispanic population is very family-oriented,鈥� Gonzalez said. 鈥淔or them, it is not common practice to head off to college after graduating from high school. Rather, it is the Hispanic tradition to stay closer to home and help out the family.鈥�

Although she will be interacting with students of all races, Gonzalez will share a certain bond with those of Hispanic heritage.

鈥淚鈥檓 100 percent Mexican. Both of my parents were born in Mexico,鈥� she said. And, like those students she鈥檚 now recruiting, she faced some of the same family issues when it came to pursuing a career.

Gonzalez credits her mother 鈥� 鈥渁n incredibly strong, loving and giving individual鈥� 鈥� for providing the needed support that allowed Gonzalez to pursue her own higher education opportunities.

鈥淪ome young people don鈥檛 get that support. Their families still hold on to the old traditions, although some,鈥� she added, 鈥渁re starting to shift.鈥�

A first-generation college student from Spring Valley, Ill., Gonzalez began attending Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby, Ill., before transferring to Eastern and earning her bachelor鈥檚 degree in sociology. She will graduate in May 2014 with her master鈥檚 degree in college student affairs.

鈥淎s I work with transfer students, I want to help them with that same transition,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd that means meeting and working with their families, as well.鈥�

It will mean more than just being bilingual, too.

As she meets with prospective students and their fathers, mothers and siblings -- and sometimes even grandparents -- Gonzalez hopes to stress the importance for opportunities of higher education. She also hopes to demonstrate how a college education can expand on the Hispanic tradition of 鈥渉elping the family.鈥�

鈥淏y emphasizing the outcomes 鈥� the opportunities for their families 鈥� they will get a better feel for how this decision will impact the family as a whole,鈥� Gonzalez said. 鈥淎nd I can help them understand college culture.

"I can also try and answer their questions and concerns,鈥� she continued. 鈥淔or example, they鈥檒l want to know if their student is going to be safe, and for that, I can stress the emphasis Eastern鈥檚 places on campus safety.鈥�

Gonzalez said that she plans to encourage families to visit Eastern鈥檚 campus to see for themselves the type of accommodations that are available for their student and to meet other Latino families. They can also share specific concerns with university administrators, letting them know ways in which the university can further enhance their experience on the Charleston campus.

鈥淲hat else do you want from us?鈥� Gonzalez said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we鈥檒l ask them. We need for these Hispanic families to help us learn what it takes to gain their confidence and willingness to send their students to Eastern Illinois University.鈥�