Throughout this week, the California Community College system is celebrating its eighth annual Undocumented Student Action Week, as it enrolls the largest population of undocumented students in the nation. The Chancellor’s Office in partnership with community allies, faculty, staff, and administrators are celebrating with a series of virtual webinars. Undocumented students continue to face significant barriers to employment and financial stability due to their immigration status. The 2024 Undocumented Student Action Week theme focuses on leveraging our collective power to create meaningful change. The Palomar College Dreamer Success Program website provides additional information regarding ways to engage in this initiative.
Palomar College is a Hispanic Serving Institution and is steadfast in respecting each of our students’ experience and supporting them to achieve academic success. In doing so, we provide undocumented students with the necessary resources and support to achieve their academic goals, while continuing to advocate strongly for their rights and uninterrupted access to higher education. Furthermore, we support the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program which protects young men and women who were brought to the United States as children, allowing them to pursue their studies and complete their education at the postsecondary level. Undocumented students, whether those affiliated with the DACA program or not, are often our most vulnerable and deserve equitable access and support services.
Most recently Palomar College established the Dreamer Success Program, which is designed to share knowledge, teach college skills, and build social capital. Through these actions each student will forge their own path to their academic and life goals. These efforts are facilitated by our Undocumented Resource Center Coordinator and have resulted in the expansion of support services that connect students to academic counseling and advising services, community resources, and assistance with applications and exemption forms. The Dreamer Success program offers a welcoming environment for all students in the Cariño Dream Village at the San Marcos campus.
Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Student Services, Nick Mata oversees this area, and many other initiatives designed to welcome and engage the highly diverse student population at Palomar College. “Community colleges play a pivotal role in providing students with the education and resources they need to thrive,” said Nick Mata. “The fact that we have permanent staff dedicated to supporting DACA students, and an established place on campus for them to receive the support guidance they need, while connecting with their peers, clearly emphasizes our extensive commitment to student success here at Palomar College.”
Palomar College is not alone in bringing attention to the important contributions of DACA students. Recently, the North County Higher Education Alliance (NCHEA), in collaboration with the CSU San Marcos Dreamer Resource Office, and the MiraCosta College Undocumented People Rise Up in Solidarity and Empowerment (UPRISE) program, and the Palomar College Dreamer Success Program led an event focused on “Stories of Undocu-Entrepreneurship.” Entrepreneurship has been pursued as a thriving pathway for undocumented immigrants in America’s workforce.
There remains a lot of work to be done in this effort as exemplified by Governor Newsom’s veto of a bill that would allow for undocumented immigrants to be hired at public universities. To continue to bring the need to support our undocumented students, the Palomar College Dreamer Success Program, in partnership with UndocuScholars LLC, leads UndocuAdvocate professional development opportunities. In addition, the California Community College Chancellor’s Office offers resources, including CCC | Supporting Undocumented Students (csod.com) website and the Undocumented Students Support E-Handbook: Undocumented Students Support E-Handbook.