Family night at Saddleback welcomes incoming high schoolers
Family night does not always mean gathering around a table to play Scrabble, but to come to Saddleback College on Nov. 14 to learn what the campus offers and why it should be students first choice.
“There is no finer college, whether you want to attain a degree or transfer. Saddleback should be the first choice,” said President Tod Burnett. ” I can’t say enough good things about our college.”
“High school kids get the chance to come to Saddleback and check out all the programs and clubs we have,” said Zack Inski, 19, technical theatre, who was sitting at the Entertainment Theatre Technology booth.
The cafeteria was filled with a variety of booths like, mathematics & science, matriculation, automotive, transfer, culinary arts, human resources. Even the college radio was broadcasting the event from inside.
Outreach Director Leslie Humphrey said, “This function is put on by faculty, staff and students. It is geared toward seniors and their families, however freshmen and juniors will come as well.”
“In the beginning of the event there was a lot of kids checking out our booth (Entertainment Theatre), but now they are downstairs in workshops,” said Kat Bausch, 20, technical theatre.
Students were able to choose three out of four workshops to attend that included either transfer and honors, campus life, financial aid and career technical education.
“I went to all the workshops besides campus life, and found them very interesting,” said Cynthia Cardenas,17, Mira Monte High School senior.
While high school students were wandering around the hallways of SSC, Saddleback’s Patrick Webster, 20, film and Stephanie Gorman, 19, English were there to guide them.
“There are no more lost students than usual,” Webster said. “I think they expected a lot more kids to attend this evening,” Webster said as he looked towards all the empty seats in the cafeteria.
“I think it is really important for high school students to come because they get to see that college is not that bad,” Gorman said. “I thought college was going to be awful, but it turns out Saddleback is awesome.”
The night finished off with speeches from Burnett, Humphrey, and ASG president Joseph Hassine. They explained why Saddleback should be a first choice school.
San Clemente High School senior, Andrew Hughes, 17, said “I learned a lot of information. I knew nothing about college until I came here.”