News Room

FVSU STEP-Up Partnership Brings the Wildcat Experience to Fresno

Fort Valley State University continues to expand its reach and commitment to college access through the FVSU STEP-Up Dual Enrollment Program, an innovative partnership with Fresno Unified School District in Fresno, California.

This summer marked another exciting milestone as FVSU faculty and staff traveled to Fresno to work directly with the second STEP-Up cohort, providing students with an authentic college experience while they are still completing high school.

A central component of the experience was FVSU 0100, a college transition course designed to introduce students to the expectations, responsibilities, resources and the culture of college life. Rather than asking students to navigate their first collegiate experience from a distance, FVSU brought the Wildcat experience directly to Fresno.

FVSU instructors Alvin Lindsey and Kenneth Wilkerson Jr. provided leadership and instruction throughout the program, engaging students in lessons designed to strengthen their academic preparation, confidence, communication, personal responsibility and understanding of what it means to be a successful college student.

The course represents an important part of FVSU's broader commitment to student success. STEP-Up students are learning not only how to complete college-level coursework, but also how to communicate with professors, advocate for themselves, manage expectations, build relationships and successfully transition into a collegiate environment.

Timothy L. Hatchett, Ph.D., vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, also traveled to Fresno to meet with the students, observe the program and welcome the cohort into the FVSU Wildcat family.

“STEP-Up gives us an opportunity to remove geographic barriers, expand access, and prepare talented young people for college success before they graduate from high school,” Hatchett said. “Traveling to Fresno and seeing their enthusiasm, confidence and growth reinforced why this partnership is so important.”

The visit also highlighted the strength of the partnership between Fort Valley State University, Fresno Unified School District and Fresno City College. Fresno Unified leaders and partners visited throughout the week to see students learning and engaging firsthand, while Fresno City College provided facilities to support the program.

The success of the STEP-Up program has been strengthened by the leadership and commitment of Tressa Overstreet and Luz Sanchez, whose collaboration with FVSU has helped align the many academic and operational components of the initiative. Their efforts have ensured that students receive the resources and support needed to thrive.

For the students, STEP-Up is about much more than earning college credits. It is an opportunity to experience college expectations in a supportive environment, develop the skills necessary for long-term success and begin seeing themselves as college students.

The distance from Fort Valley, Georgia, to Fresno, California, may span thousands of miles, but STEP-Up demonstrates that geography does not have to limit opportunity.

Through innovative partnerships like STEP-Up, Fort Valley State University is creating pathways to higher education, introducing new students to the HBCU experience, and extending the Wildcat family well beyond Georgia.

These students are not waiting to begin their college journey. They have already begun.

---

• Categories:
• News
• Home
• Home Featured
• Partnerships
• Future Wildcats

---

RSS