About the César E. Chávez

Center for Higher Education

History

The establishment of the Cal Poly Pomona César E. Chávez Center for Higher Education was the result of two years of demands by the Cal Poly Pomona RAZA students, supportive community representatives, and key Latino/a leaders. On May 7th 1993, approximately 120 students gathered to form a campus-wide protest. Students marched through the campus carrying a coffin signifying the death of diversity on campus. Today, the coffin still stands in the César E. Chávez Center for Higher Education as a symbol of our past struggles, current victories, and the hope for a better tomorrow.

The demands and protests resulted in the formation and establishment of the César E. Chávez Center for Higher Education in the spring of 1995.

Mission

The mission of the Cal Poly Pomona César E. Chávez Center for Higher Education is to increase the outreach, recruitment, graduation, and cultural pride of Chicanos/Latinos at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. In addition, the César E. Chávez Center for Higher Education exists to support all students at Cal Poly Pomona in their efforts to become multiculturaly competent.

Goals

-   To encourage Chicano/Latino students to pursue a higher education

-   To increase the number of Chicano/Latino students pursuing Master and Doctoral degrees

-   To develop students' leadership and academic skills

-   To provide a means of multicultural enrichment, awareness, and cultural pride

-   To provide special support for students with academic difficulties

-   To develop relationships with schools, agencies and the communities surrounding Cal Poly Pomona