The Summer Bridge Program was a great opportunity for me to meet and get acquainted with incoming freshmen and become more familiar with the campus. It was an invaluable experience where I met new friends, got a lot of advice about college from other college students as well as counselors. My math and English skills improved and I learned more about test taking strategies and how to overcome obstacles I may face in college. When I began my first college semester in the fall, I wasn't nervous at all because I had been living on campus for six weeks and knew what to expect, something most incoming freshmen worry about. —Francisco Lagos, SBP 2007
Summer Bridge was a great opportunity for me and the others as well. The people that I met there have become some of my closest friends and I still keep in touch with them today. I feel that it was a great advantage for me as an incoming freshmen student because they taught me a lot about personal growth and also helped us get a head start in college. Thank you!!! —Tuyet Nga Thach, SBP 2005
The SBP was a great experience and it opened my mind to new things. It gave me an insight on how diverse a university can be. I learned to interact and understand other ethnicities which later helped me once I began the semester. I learned that although we are all similar and have the same purposes in life. SBP also helped me become independent. Living away from home for six weeks made me realize that I can handle being away from home and will help me get my studies done more easily. SB helped a lot of us get familiar with the campus, an advantage over other CSULB students, because we knew the locations of most of the classes and departments. —Giovanny Cevallos, SBP 2006
Going into Summer Bridge, my only purpose was to pass the courses and be ahead of other freshmen. Soon, that purpose turned into a struggle between wanting to have fun versus doing my homework. Time management has always been a struggle for me, and finally after being put under such a strict schedule I was forced to stay on schedule. I could have pulled all nighters like many of my fellow Summer Bridge classmates, but I wanted to get a good sleep-- I wanted to succeed and be the best! When fall came, not only did I have lots of friends, but my weakness had become my strength.
—Rocio Valdon, SBP 2006
The best thing about Summer Bridge is that it was my first real college experience. Not only did I attend real college courses, but I was also able to live the dorm life that I might have never experienced. The experience in this program, though stressful and overwhelming, helps one develop proficient study skills that are key to success in college life. Not only does this program help by offering the chance at getting slightly ahead of other freshman, but this six week program is a great program for any incoming freshman to mature, make friends, learn a great deal both about school and one's self and to have fun doing it all. —Brayam Tapia, SBP 2007
I really liked SBP because that is where I learned how to become a better writer. I benefited from the classes that were offered because when fall came around I already had two classes out of the way and for free. I established many beneficial relationships with professors, R.A.'s and counselors. I know that whenever I am in need if help I can turn to the EOP office, and they will help me.—Angelica Cervantes, SBP 2007
Summer Bridge helped me ease into the college environment by allowing me to experience a college class environment, first-hand. It allowed me to meet new people and lose the fear of not knowing anyone once the school-year began. Overall, SBP helped me become more social while at the same time preparing me for college-level work and providing me with the necessary resources to succeed in the program. Fun was also part of the program, so it was not all work. —Kenny Lorenzo, SBP 2007
I never liked SBP...I LOVED it! I will admit I was scared that I would have to make new friends and I didn't know anybody – not one friend in there. However, we became not only friends but a family and it made the learning process a little easy. I benefited in so many ways I can't tell you in just 5 sentences but SBP helped me learn that in the long run you will have friends that will support you in any way, no matter what the statistics or the odds are against you. —Irving Frank Barcenas, SBP 2007
