Camarillo, Calif., Feb. 2, 2015—CSU Channel Islands (CI) President Richard R. Rush will take the pulpit at an African American church in Lancaster on Feb. 8 and in Oxnard on Feb. 22 for CSU Super Sunday. 
Now in its tenth year, CSU Super Sunday is a CSU program designed to illuminate a path to higher education for African American students and their families, a historically underserved community.
On one or two Sundays in February, leaders from all 23 CSU campuses will visit 100 African American churches to discuss the value of higher education.
Leaders like President Rush will share information about financial aid, academic preparation and the value of a college degree.
President Rush will take the pulpit at 11 a.m. services on Feb. 8 at GracePlace Church, 45212 7th Street East, Lancaster, led by Senior Pastor Michael X. Richardson, and on Feb. 22 at 11 a.m. services at St. Paul Baptist Church, 1777 Statham Blvd., Oxnard, led by Pastor Broderick Huggins.
“Super Sunday affirms and validates the covenant between Channel Islands and St. Paul and the black community,” Huggins said. “It’s a visible symbol of the commitment the college has to recruiting black students in this community.”
Super Sunday is part of the CSU African American Initiative, launched in 2005 to increase the preparation and retention of African Americans, especially males, throughout the university system.
“I think it’s a fever blister on the lip of a swollen situation,” Huggins said. “It’s a national problem. We have more young black men in prison than in college.”
Aside from recruiting them as athletes, Huggins said there isn’t a national push to attract black men to college, so he is pleased to hand his pulpit over to President Rush for each Super Sunday.
“The power and purpose of our university is to give every person access to the endless possibilities that higher education offers and to help make college a reality,” said CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White. “By collaborating with our church partners during CSU Super Sunday, we are able to start the conversation about college early, empower children to aim high and prepare every student to succeed in college.”
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About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.