Fresno State, in partnership with Fresno Unified School District, is hosting its first LaunchPad: Bulldog Bound Freshman Success Camp, providing an immersive experience for 200 incoming students. All students participating in the LaunchPad program are a part of the university’s Bulldog Bound guaranteed admissions program and are first-generation college students.
From Aug. 11 through 15, LaunchPad will give students opportunities to learn more about Fresno State and connect with campus resources, including:
- Meeting one-on-one with financial aid and academic counselors to create personalized academic and financial success plans.
- Enrolling in a one-unit course designed specifically for the camp and taught by Learning Center staff, centered on topics such as time management, study strategies and digital literacy.
- Participating in meaningful team-building activities with fellow students and Fresno State staff and faculty.
All LaunchPad participants will receive a scholarship and complete the program with a full course schedule in line with their major.
“We are excited to introduce this new and impactful program designed to support the transition of incoming freshmen into college life,” said Ruby Sangha-Rico, interim associate vice president for Student Success Services at Fresno State. “This free, five-day camp aims to provide our newest Bulldogs with the tools, information and confidence needed to succeed at Fresno State.”
In addition to supporting students’ academic journeys, LaunchPad was also designed to foster personal success, creating space for students to connect with their peers throughout the week and build relationships ahead of the start of the school year.
Each student will have an assigned peer mentor who has previously served as an orientation leader at Dog Days. Students will connect with their peer mentors throughout the week, and will continue to have regular check-ins throughout their first year on campus.
“LaunchPad has been an initiative supported across campus,” Sangha-Rico said. “The expertise of Ken Ternate, senior coordinator of New Student and Family Programs, and Jesse Farias, interim director of Recruitment and Special Programs, have been especially instrumental in our efforts to ensure students’ success on campus.”
During LaunchPad, students will also have opportunities to engage with each other outside of the classroom, with activities at the EDGE Ropes Course and Valley Children’s Stadium and a trip to Wonder Valley Outdoor Education Center.
“We recognize that with our LaunchPad participants being first-generation students, this is also a time of transition and growth for their entire families,” said Martina Granados, interim associate vice president of Strategic Enrollment Management at Fresno State. “Bulldog Bound encourages families to be involved in their students’ education, and we will have opportunities to connect with them as well during LaunchPad.”
The LaunchPad program will conclude with a dynamic showcase where students will share their work and what they’ve learned in the program. The showcase, open to the campus community, will take place from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 15, at the Satellite Student Union at Fresno State.
The LaunchPad program was made possible, in part, with the generous support of community partners, including Education Employees Credit Union, Pacific Service Credit Union, Palazzo at Campus Pointe and University Place Apartments.
To learn more about LaunchPad and Bulldog Bound programming, contact Fresno State Recruitment at 559.278.2048 or visit https://studentaffairs.fresnostate.edu/are/bound/index.html.
