From dream to reality: College tours open doors for local students ⋆ The Palm Springs Post

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*Students who toured colleges and universities as part of a project backed by the PSUSD’s American Parent Advisory Council are seen here.*

Applying for college can be an intimidating and daunting process for anyone. For a student facing economic challenges, who may have never traveled or been far from their family, and who may, in many cases, would be the first in their family to go to college, the idea of attending a university can seem like an unattainable dream.

That’s where the Palm Springs Unified School District’s African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC) stepped in, working in coordination with the district to launch an ambitious and groundbreaking project to take a group of eligible students on a fully paid trip to tour Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to experience college life for themselves.

The program — now known as “The College and Culture Tour” — was launched in 2022 and, in the following years, expanded to include a separate additional trip to Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) in Austin, Texas. The program is now going into its fourth year, with 48 selected students traveling in April 2025 to Norfolk State University, Howard University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Maryland, and Morgan State University.

According to Jarvis Williams, coordinator of family community engagement for the district, AAPAC members wanted to have more inclusion and diversity this year, so they combined the two trips at the request of students.

“The students who went on HSI tours wanted to see what the HBCU students saw, and then the students who went to the HBCUs wanted to see what our HSI students saw,” says Williams. “So this year we combined them, and we are doing it all in one on one location. So no Texas this year, but it’s the same impactful and monumental college and cultural tour with a blend of both HBCU, HSI and MSI as well.”

The purpose of the tours is to inspire, motivate, and encourage students of color to pursue higher education and to give them exposure to their culture and history, which they may not have experienced in California. The idea is that if they see college life for themselves, it will feel less intimidating.

“To see the looks on these children’s faces — for many of them, it’s their first time flying, for many of them it’s their first time being away from mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, or whomever their guardian may be,” says Williams, adding that students are paired with roommates from other schools during the trip, creating opportunities for new friendships. “So they’re getting engulfed in a truly rich pre-college experience.”

In addition to colleges and universities, students will have the opportunity to meet and engage with political figures in Virginia and Washington, D.C., and visit several historical and cultural sites such as the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Latino, the Martin Luther King Jr. and Lincoln memorials, the U.S. Capitol, and the office of Congressman Raul Ruiz, the U.S. Representative for the district.

“Some of them are trying different foods and cuisines for the first time, some of them are meeting women in positions of power that they’ve never seen who have very similar lived experiences to them,” says Williams. “Even down to Congressman Ruiz’s office. There were people there last year who we met on staff that are right here from the Coachella Valley that graduated from some of the same schools that they attend.”

“To see the looks on these children’s faces — for many of them, it’s their first time flying, for many of them it’s their first time being away from mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, or whomever their guardian may be. So they’re getting engulfed in a truly rich pre-college experience.”
— Jarvis Williams, PSUSD coordinator of family community engagement

According to Williams, students go through a lengthy application process to be selected. The program is open to 11th-grade juniors at multiple high schools across the Coachella Valley. Students must have a 2.5 GPA and be college-bound. The application process includes four essay prompts, evaluated using a rigorous rubric, and a character reference letter to provide additional perspective on the student.

The tour has seen great success in terms of students getting accepted to universities they visited during the experience. Williams recalls that one of their tour guides at Morgan State University was a student who had gone on the trip with them the year before. He told the Post he has already seen a handful of students from last year’s trip receive acceptance letters to universities they toured.

PSUSD funds the room and board, meals (three per day), and airfare for the 48 participating students. Additionally, the district partners with the PSUSD Foundation to conduct a small fundraising project to collect community donations so that students can have spending money. Donations can be made online. The funds are divided evenly, providing approximately $200 in additional support per student.

“We solicit the community because we know that when the community stands behind these children, they don’t just see my parents and the school district, but the community is rallying behind me, and we know that some of our kids can benefit from that extra money,” says Williams.

After the trip, students are paired with a mentor to assist with the college application and FAFSA process. Williams notes that when students return home, they often help and support each other through the process as well.

Williams says the impact of the college and cultural tour and the support from schools and the local community isn’t just felt by the students. He adds that it provides a great relief to families, many of whom feel overwhelmed by the college process.

“We have a lot of first-generation students, and I think that the fear for parents is how do I navigate my child going to college…” says Williams. “I think having that level of support and building those trusting relationships within the school district is bridging gaps in our community that extend far beyond just the students, but we’re seeing staff connecting with families in different ways and building those rich relationships.”

More information: You can support students taking these trips by making a tax-free donation to The Foundation for the Palm Springs Unified School District, where 100% of funds will go directly to students. Click here to make your donation.