Before the start of every semester, students like Jennifer Perea request laptops from San Diego City College and other local nonprofits.
This fall, the second-year dental hygiene student was surprised by another opportunity to obtain a computer — an opportunity she nearly missed.
It came during one of the campus-wide welcome week events aimed at bringing students together and connecting them with needed resources.
“It’s crazy, I didn’t even want to go,” Perea told City Times, “(because) I’m too shy.”
Perea attended the Chicano/Latinx Bienvenida Estudiantil on Aug. 27 and won a new Macbook, one of seven given out, according to Vice President of Student Services Marciano Perez.
The affinity events, held over three days, also included the Pride Student Mixer, the Asian American Pacific Islander Student Welcome and the Black Excellence Meet & Greet.
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The funds used to buy the computers were donated by Jim Sinegal, a City College alumnus and founder and former CEO of Costco, according to Perez.
“We are looking forward to finding ways to engage our students and work with donors to try and identify resources for students,” Perez said. “The goal is to give away 20-25 computers.”
Unsuspecting students were given a wristband at check-in and automatically entered into the computer giveaway at each one of the week’s events.
Film student David To attended the AAPI mixer after hearing about it from a professor and left with a new Macbook.
“I was surprised I won,” To said. “I didn’t think I would win. I can learn easier and not have to use my brick laptop.”
Third-year geology student José Segura said he didn’t suspect anything when he was given his wristband at the Chicanx/Latinx event.
“I didn’t know what it was (for), but it was for the laptop,” Segura said. “It’s good.”
Among the week’s other winners were Saika Didler and Keymuandre Abdalluh, who received the new computers at the Black Excellence event.
Welcome week kicked off with the Student Resource Fair and Club Rush Aug. 26 to connect students with resources around campus.
The mixers that followed were designed to engage students and to build community with music and food, according to emails sent through faculty promoting them.
“Our goal is to get the students what they need,” Perez said. “We are really trying to promote our student resources.”
More giveaways are planned for the semester and the events are open to all students.
Managing editor Marco Guajardo and multimedia editor Tresean Osgood contributed to this report.
