Every fall semester, Discovery Day provides younger students with their first exposure to higher education while providing college service-learners with an engaging opportunity for leadership and service. Freshmen from Roseland University Prep spend a day with Sonoma State University (SSU) freshmen inspiring a love of SSU so all the students can aspire to become and stay Seawolves.
Discovery Day incorporates important levels of reciprocity. While in previous years, the 20 AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) students attended, this year and last year RUP brought over a hundred students. The day consists of RUP students joining SSU service-learners from two University 102 sections in a brief introduction and ice-breaker. Then they form groups to embark on a scavenger hunt which better accustoms them to the SSU campus while allowing interaction between both groups of high school and college freshmen.
The pizza lunch was generously sponsored by SSU President, Ruben Armiñana. Professor Cynthia Boaz introduced herself and greeted the high school students. After lunch, panels of students from Outreach and the UNIV 102 classes, shared their personal stories and answered questions about the process of becoming a University student. The Office of Admissions & Student Recruitment at Sonoma State has developed a longstanding relationship with the staff and students of Roseland University Prep. All RUP students who meet the CSU requirements are given direct admission to the University.