Bulldog Bites

News and Views from the University of Redlands

U of R and Corona-Norco Unified partner to increase degree attainment in Inland Empire

U of R will provide qualifying CNUSD students with a minimum $10,000-per-year scholarship, a seamless admission process, overnight campus visits, and a four-year graduation pledge. (Photo by Coco McKown '04, '10)

Officials from the University of Redlands and the Corona-Norco Unified School District (CNUSD) recently signed an agreement that guarantees admission to the University of Redlands for all CNUSD graduates who meet specific requirements.

Qualifying students will benefit from a minimum $10,000-per-year scholarship, a seamless admission process, overnight campus visits, and a four-year graduation pledge.

“Having attended K-12 within the CNUSD and leading this collaboration on behalf of University of Redlands truly brings me full circle,” says Belinda Sandoval Zazueta, associate vice president of admissions at U of R. “Supporting students with the tools and opportunity at the right time will be key to helping them realize their higher education goals, which may include admission to the University of Redlands.”

Similar sentiments are offered from Anita Shirley, coordinator of school counseling services at CNUSD and a University of Redlands alumna: “Preparing for, and applying to college can be very intimidating—however, supporting and engaging our students at the onset of their freshman year may remove some of those barriers,” she says.  “As a U of R graduate and now a CNUSD employee, I am personally excited about this partnership and the benefits it will bring to our students.”

Beginning in the current school year, 2019-20, participating students enrolled in the ninth grade will receive a rigorous program of coursework and benchmarks that lay the foundation for their future acceptance to the University of Redlands. In turn, the CNUSD will support the attainment of these benchmarks through an enhanced program that includes ongoing student, teacher, and parent communication and progress reports, development of supplemental financial aid materials, and the facilitation of admission applications. 

This partnership—in addition to several other collaborations the University of Redlands maintains regionally—aims to enhance and expand service to students and increase the number of college-ready students.

Learn more about applying to the University of Redlands.