On Tuesday June 23, 2009 United We Dream coalition members will be holding graduation ceremonies from coast to coast. The main event will be in Washington D.C., with solidarity events taking place all across the country.

Barack Obama has stated that undocumented students brought up in the United States are "American for all intents and purposes." Senator Richard Durbin has implored Congress to "give these kids a chance." Republican Sen.

I've been reading article after article about how higher education is becoming more out of reach for students due to higher  fees because of budget cuts. 

Below are three articles, one on colleges in general and two specifically the University of California and California State University systems.  

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/16/BANQ12UI6C.DTL&type=printable

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/15/technology/15link.html?pag...

Some professors are now apparently offering their textbooks online in response to the ridiculously high prices of textbooks today! 

http://www.colorlines.com/article.php?ID=437

...and I need help!

Students who are first in their families to attend college are:

I think I have finally come up with an idea for my blue print. It is similar to the Big Brother/Big Sister program, but uses students of college organizations to encourage high school students to stay in school and help those who show an interst in college. I call this this plan Operation: Students Encouraging Education (SEE). More details to come in the near future. If you have ideas or comments, please let me know.

I had the extreme pleasure this weekend to host two high school students (a senior and junior) for the REACH! Shadow Night. REACH! is one of five student-initiated recruitment and retention centers (RRCs) on campus that works to actively outreach to students of color from the elementary to community college level. REACH! in particular caters to the Asian/Pacific Islander communities, such as Southeast Asian refugee communities (Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian, Hmong, Mien, among others).

Washington, D.C. - Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on H.R. 5, the College Student Relief Act of 2007, which cuts the interest rates on student loans and passed on the House floor by a vote of 356 to 71, with all Democrats and 124 Republicans voting for the bill:

"Today's bipartisan vote to cut the interest rate in half on federally subsidized student loans over the next five years will help make a college education more affordable and more accessible for our next generation of leaders and innovators.  At a time when college tuition continues to skyrocket, this crucial legislation will help remove some of the barriers to a higher education.

"A college education is the best investment our nation's young people can make in themselves, and the best investment our nation can make in its future.  Democrats will continue to work to ensure that every young person that is determined to earn a higher education is able to do so.  Our young people should be driven by their dreams, not weighed down by debt."