Last July, 11 students participated in the first ever Residential Academic Bridge Program (Bridge). The program is an intensive and exciting three-week immersion experience for first-generation students who participated in a Pre-Collegiate Development Program (PCDP) at CU-Boulder.
“Bridge is more than just an academic program, said Shawg Ahmed, a freshman from Denver who is studying biochemistry. “It is a program that gives you the tools and experience to grow as a person and define who you are before you even get to college.”
Last July, Bridge students stayed in Crosman Hall and ate meals at the Center for Community (C4C). The program was designed to give participants a sample of their upcoming freshman year.
“When I was teaching the CU 101 class, the students expressed their concerns about the hardships that they would encounter as first-generation students,” said Maria A. Castro Barajas, assistant director of PCDP at CU-Boulder. “The course presented the students with information about volunteering and resources available to them, but also created a space to discuss matters like culture shock.”
Bridge students also took classes such as Composition 101, College Math Preparatory and Exploring Multicultural Leadership. Each class challenged the students at a university level and encouraged them to examine transdisciplinary topics. During the evenings, academic study halls were mandatory to help students create their own study habits and plan their day according to their study schedules.
“College has been really tough on me for many reasons,” said Noel Garcia, a freshman from Longmont, who is majoring in environmental design with a focus in architecture. “Living away from home and getting used to a new environment is really difficult. Bridge allowed me to get familiar with the campus and made my transition to college easier.”
Outside of the classroom, Bridge students participated in team-building activities, including a ropes course.
“You meet all types of people with different backgrounds,” said Kim Valdez, a freshman from Thornton who is studying psychology. “Everyone has amazing stories to share. People are so open here.”
PCDP is an institutionally-funded academic enhancement program for middle and high school students that is designed to motivate and prepare first-generation students in pursuit of their higher education goals. Those students who join the CU-Boulder community after participating in PCDP, attend Bridge prior to their freshman year. The program's goals are to give PCDP students a head start toward a successful college experience.
“This is more than just a program,” said Castro Barajas. “It’s a community that builds lasting relationships to ensure our students succeed at CU.”
