Students participated in a field day and competed for prizes during SORCE's Student Group Olympics on March 11. (photo courtesy of SORCE)

The Student Outreach and Retention Center for Equity (SORCE) is extending its services to individuals, departments and organizations at CU-Boulder.

According to Jazmin Chavez, SORCE inner-campus liaison, the center's main goal is to retain students in the university system.

"We hope that we can make a difference in the lives of students and give them good reasons to stay in college," said Chavez. "We work with all the other resource centers on campus to provide the best help possible."

SORCE often teams up with campus departments and individuals on projects that focus on retention, education and diversity. For example, staff members have spoken in classes at the request of professors, addressed town hall meetings on diversity and presented films, lectures and discussions to the campus.

The center will host a conference for middle and high school students on April 22. The event will cover topics such as college, financial aid, study skills, music, sexual health, diversity issues and organization.

"Our goal is to empower students at an early age and make an impact on how they view different possibilities," said Chavez.

If your department wishes to present a workshop at the conference or collaborate with SORCE on a project, please contact the office at (303) 492-1371.

SORCE opened its doors in spring 2000 as a student-run service dedicated to promoting the needs of underrepresented communities at CU-Boulder. In spring 2004, SORCE became one of UCSU's 12 cost centers.

For more information visit http://www.colorado.edu/SORCE.