Remember your first college visit? On a beautiful, sprawling campus filled with endless hopes and dreams? It’s with that nostalgia in mind that we offered a unique opportunity to our high school aged juniors, with an emphasis on golf, of course.
SCGA Junior members aged 13-17 came out in abundance for a guided campus tour of Occidental College. Not only were kids able to soak up musings from Coach Will Morris and various members of the Oxy men’s and women’s golf teams, but they were greeted by one of their own – SCGA Junior Scholar Sam Rocha.
Learning about life as a collegiate athlete, the recruiting process and what college coaches specifically look for in a future athlete is certainly beneficial. Hearing all of it from someone who was in their own shoes is priceless.
“When I first visited Oxy with SCGA Junior as a freshman in high school,” said Rocha, “It made me realize that it’d be possible to play college golf and pursue my career goals.”
An eye-opening experience for Sam, she left campus that day with lofty, yet attainable goals. It’s a day she won’t soon forget or take for granted and hopes the juniors who attended this year soaked it all up.
“This event is definitely my favorite one to take part in and hope the juniors were able to get the same impact from it as I did,” said Rocha. “I have a very personal connection to the program and to all the juniors involved so I genuinely enjoy being a lifeline.”
As this exclusive opportunity attracted more interest than there was space, the outing’s registration was opened up early to the regular participants of the rapidly growing College Prep Program.
“Almost all of the kids in attendance hadn’t experienced a college campus before,” said Jennifer Seislove, SCGA Junior program director. “But it was evident that the kids involved with our Summer College Prep Program were better prepared to ask relevant and thoughtful questions.”
Without outing like this one, many of these kids with lofty hopes and dreams otherwise would not have the means to visit and tour a college campus. It’s an incredible burden lifted off the shoulders for parents as well.
“Many of these families wouldn’t know where to start when planning a college visit,” said Seislove. “We try to provide the opportunity and forum to get all their questions answered and their angst subsided.”
Relieving the stresses of the college application process by educating parents and students is what it’s all about.
“The more a family is prepared for the next steps,” said Seislove. “The better chance they have at having successful college years.”
And we’re in the business of breeding success.
For a complete photo gallery of the outing, click here.