Who better to help inner-city students get to college than college students themselves? Students have been tutoring at
the Preuss School for years, but as of fall 2005, they’ve had the opportunity to go to the newly chartered Gompers Charter Middle School, where they not only tutor, but also intern with school psychologists, counselors and nurses.

“Not only do you build relationships with these kids,” Anjanette Urdanivia, former provost intern for Thurgood Marshall College, says, “but you build this social network with them.”

Jessica Hall, ’07, interns with the Family and Social Services Department, assisting students with personal counseling and support groups. “I believe my whole experience at Gompers has really allowed me to become more focused [at UCSD] as well as assertive,” she says.

Another intern, Andrei Fodoreanu, ’07, works with the school nurse, encouraging healthy eating habits through meetings with parents. He also leads aerobics classes and discussion sessions on basic human physiology and nutrition.

Susan Workman, ’07, interns in the counseling department, running groups for students on bullying, discipline, attendance and uniform compliance. “It’s interesting to see how my psychology classes compares to what I see at Gompers,” she says. “Sometimes it’s similar and sometimes it’s way off.”

Students intern for 10 hours a week, and receive academic credit through Thurgood Marshall’s Public Service Minor, Education Studies (formerly the Teacher Education Program) or the Academic Internship Program. Obviously they relish the opportunity to give something back even as they use the time to test out their future careers.

Cliff Notes written by Neda Oreizy, ’08