FAIRFAX, Va.
George Mason University’s Early Identification Program celebrated its 20th anniversary on Tuesday by welcoming a new batch of students and congratulating those who finished the program this past year. EIP has had an enviable track record, sending 96 percent of its graduates on to college.
EIP identifies local seventh-graders who have high potential but are at risk of not attending college without extra support. The four-year program, which features annual summer academies, prepares the students for the college application process. Currently, 45 percent of the program’s participants are Hispanic and 39 percent are Black. Participants receive tutoring sessions and SAT-preparation courses, and are advised on ways to put together a winning college application form. Students who complete the program and graduate from high school or guaranteed admission to GMU.
EIP director Hortensia B. Cadenas says the program relies on middle school counselors to recommend students.
“This is not just for minorities,” she says. “We look for bright, first-generation students who have the potential [to go to college,] and then a screening committee approves.”
The Cuban-born Cadenas says the students are like her children and she can identify with their struggles.
“I did not speak English when I came to the United States, and I had to carry a Spanish/English dictionary with me to learn the language,” she says. “I personally understand the need these students have for support and direction.”
