Kaibigang Pilipino
Student Teaching Academic and Retention

Contact: kpstar.ucsd@gmail.com
Website: ucsdkpstar.wordpress.com

KP STAR is a student-initiated and student-run program designed to promote the retention and increase graduation rates of Pilipin@s and Filipin@-Americans at UCSD in order to advance the hope of achieving diversity at institutions of higher education. Through its three distinct yet cohesive components, KP STAR strives to cultivate and strengthen a unified community that supports each other through struggle and challenges each other to realize personal and academic success. KP STAR values the retention and matriculation of all underrepresented and underserved students based on the needs of the Pilipin@ undergraduate population.

Though our university is fond of priding itself based on such demographic numbers, the truth is that the Filipino population at UCSD is a mere 5%. Seeing as how Filipinos generate the KP STAR target population, it is important to us that any retention efforts are successful in order to retain the 5% of Filipinos in UCSD, as opposed to losing students through discomfort, disillusion and dropout rates. In addition, because of the fact that 30% of students are first generation college students and that 36% of students report that English is not their home language, such facts may become barriers for students, putting them at an educational disadvantage. Therefore, programs aimed specifically at the Filipino demographic are essential to maintain and hopefully increase the number of Filipinos on this campus.

In 2001, a group of KP members made a trip to UCLA to find out about a retention program there called Samahang Pilipino Education and Academic Retention (SPEAR). Under the direction of Rene Gube (Vice-Chair Internal) and April Limcolioc (Freshperson Executive), KP decided to start its own retention component called STAR, influenced by a fellow KP member Catherine DeGuzman’s dog, whose name was Star.

However, the program hardly took off. The leadership had problems establishing STAR as a program and eventually no one else took the initiative to continue the initial vision. Thankfully David Reyes (Vice-Chair Internal), Sheryl Diaz (Vice-Chair External), and Christy Nierva (Staff Adviser) officially established KP STAR in the 2005-2006 academic school year. Although the Kuya/Ate/Ading and Tutoring components have been present within KP since 1998, it was not until the creation of the Peer Counseling component that allowed KP STAR to become institutionalized.
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Components

Kuya/Ate/Ading
The Kuya/Ate/Ading component provides mentors that facilitates and builds one-to-one relationships with incoming freshpeople. Mentors act as role models and positive influences in the social transition of their mentees. The component aims to create a sense of community and long-lasting supportive relationships between mentors and mentees.

Peer Counseling
The Peer Counseling component serves as a resource that facilitates students’ academic, social and personal transition. Through the program, students are able to meet with a peer counselor who may provide them with emotional support and direct them to valuable resources that may aid them in their personal growth, academic transition, community involvement and leadership development. Peer counselors are also trained to facilitate dialogues, general body meetings and workshops relating to issues of identity, oppression, etc.

Academic
The Academic Component provides workshops and peer study groups that facilitates students’ academic transition. Workshops will focus on study skills, time management, academic career planning, matriculation to graduate school, academic resources, career planning and post-grad transition. Peer study groups bring together students either in the same field, major or classes to discuss and study current class material.
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KP STAR Staff 2011-2012

KP STAR Coordinator
Carlmichael Caldejon

Programming Assistant
Carla Manacop

Kuya/Ate/Ading Co-Directors
Joann Luzon (KP Vice-Chair Internal)
Zarah Rubio (KP Freshperson Executive)

Peer Counseling Co-Directors
Franklin Paek
Jason Erum

Student/Staff/Faculty Coordinator
Edward Mangibin

Academic Director
Melissa Canivel (KP Academic Director)

Study Group Coordinator
Alyssa Beltran

SPACES Board Of Director
Jerel Vega (KP Chair)

Peer Counselors
Alexandra Bagalacsa
Anselm Maranan
Bel Geronimo
Crystal de Rosales
Erina Alejo
Harrison Kamiya
Hetty Yeung
Jonina Alonto
Joy De Guzman
Justine Casanova
Linda Lo
Melita Acosta
Natashia Mercado
Nikko Ella
Raelene Diega