YAKIMA, Wash. – The College Assistance Migrant Program helps students who have worked or have dependents who do migrant farm work in the U.S., according to the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
People with first-generation migrant farm worker backgrounds can be intimidated stepping into college, according to CAMP director at Yakima Valley College, Marivy Vasquez.
She said the program offers academic, emotional and financial support to help those students and ensure they make it out of college with a degree.
Without that aid student Juan Vargas said he wouldn’t have thought of going to college.
“If there wasn’t a program like this, I honestly don’t even think I’d be in college,” Vargas said.
Vargas said the college assistance migrant program helped him feel more invested in school, something he says he didn’t feel during high school.
“I’m embarrassed to say it, but I would be slacking off. I would not be quite encouraged to come to high school,” Vargas said.
He said CAMP helped him financially and is still helping him on his journey through higher education as he decides where he wants to go after YVC.
