At first, Giselle Saldivar’s parents were nervous about her attending Idaho State University, far from her home in Weiser, ID. Saldivar, a first-generation student and daughter of migrant workers, was nervous herself. “I didn’t know anybody,” she said. “The first week was kind of scary. But CAMP was like a second home to me.”
It was the team at Idaho State University’s Bengal Bridge and College Assistant Migrant Program (CAMP) programs who eased their minds and guided Saldivar to success. Along with offering a friendly face, they helped Saldivar and her family navigate the often-confusing world of financial aid, scholarships and other student services.
CAMP is funded through a federal grant from the Office of Migrant Education, and is available to seasonal farm workers and their children. Eligible students receive academic advising, personalized tutoring, study skills and academic workshops along with financial literacy resources, such as scholarship searches and how to complete financial aid forms.
Three years later, Saldivar graduated with three degrees— finance, business management, and Spanish. She was able to fulfill a goal of studying abroad in Spain. Today, she is a financial analyst for Hewlett Packard, a job she found through her internship with the same company.