Applications Open for COCC’s Free Summer Cultural Symposiums

May 15, 2026 

 

Central Oregon Community College’s five-day, college-exposure summer symposiums, set for June 21-25, are designed — and offered free — for regional high school Latinx, Native American, Afrocentric and 2SLGBTQIA+ students and their allies, with applications being accepted until May 29. Visit cocc.edu/multicultural to learn more and apply; space is limited.

Free and open to current high schoolers, these culturally focused programs — Ganas for Latinx youth, STRIVE for Native American youth, Ubuntu for Afrocentric youth and YAS! for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth — offer dynamic experiences that integrate leadership, college preparation and culturally relevant themes. The goal is to expose students to different elements of the college experience that better prepare them for the transition from high school.

Students stay in Wickiup Residence Hall on the Bend campus, with all meals provided, and engage in a host of activities and learning experiences, earning a free college credit for participation.

“Participants live and learn on the Bend campus, engage with faculty, connect with peers and explore what college can look like when you show up fully as yourself,” said Christy Walker, COCC’s dean of equity and well-being. “Our programs help to provide equitable opportunities that level the playing field for students who have been historically underrepresented or marginalized.”

For more information, contact Christy Walker, COCC’s dean of equity and well-being, at 541-383-7412 or cwalker2@cocc.edu.