YAKIMA, Wash. – Yakima Valley College’s College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) offers support to migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their children aiming for higher education. Students interested can apply online.
CAMP, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, provides a comprehensive suite of resources. These include a stipend of up to $1,300, free tutoring, career development, access to technology and academic success workshops.
Lucero Liliana Mendez, a CAMP alum, shared her experience, stating, “I learned about advocacy and how to empower our community. I also learned how to fight for our rights and about important environmental and financial issues that affect the farmworking community.”
Marivy Vasquez, director of CAMP at YVC, emphasized the program’s impact, saying, “CAMP is incredibly successful in opening a pathway to higher education for the migrant farmworker community.”
She noted that students, often the first in their families to attend college, face unique challenges in navigating the college process.
YVC is one of 52 institutions nationwide and one of eight in Washington State offering a CAMP program, collectively serving around 2,400 students annually. YVC specifically has funding to support 40 students each year.
