Inside California State University, Fresno’s student union, Victor Romo watched his son Mateo take in the energy of a college campus, moving through tables of resources, workshops, and university staff before later walking onto the stage to receive a $1,000 scholarship presented through Parent Institute for Quality Education and Carnegie Corporation of New York. Mateo was one of twenty students honored that day, an opportunity earned after their families attended and graduated from PIQE’s Bridge to College workshop program in the weeks leading up to PIQE Annual Family Tech and Empowerment Summit on April 25th 2026.

“He is going to finish high school next year, so we wanted to learn more about how to prepare him for college,” Romo said. “We want to learn what options we have.”

Across the room, scholarship recipient Salo Uribe stood beside his mother, who had completed PIQE workshops to better understand how to support his next step. He is headed to College of the Sequoias for electrical training while also working toward an associate degree. The scholarship recognition mattered, he said, but so did something less visible.

“I feel proud of her,” Uribe said of his mother. “She took these classes for me.”

Nearby, Leslie Banuelos arrived with her family looking for answers about financial aid, college pathways, and what comes next after high school. As the first in her family preparing for that journey, she said the greatest relief is knowing the responsibility is shared.

“It feels good because I do not have to do it alone,” she said.

Those conversations, repeated in dozens of forms throughout the morning, captured the purpose of the Family Tech and Empowerment Summit, hosted by Parent Institute for Quality Education in partnership with California State University, Fresno. Families from Fresno and surrounding communities gathered for a day focused on college readiness, digital access, financial literacy, and the practical realities families face as they help children pursue opportunity.

The event opened with multilingual interpretation services, an immediate signal that families would be met where they are. Many moved easily between English and Spanish as they checked in, greeted staff, and found seats.

Derek Parker, PIQE Interim Chief Operating Officer, welcomed attendees by framing the day as a shared effort between schools, families, and community partners. The goal, he said, was not simply to provide information, but to help turn family hopes into real opportunities.

PIQE Board Member Adelfa Lorenzano followed with remarks rooted in her own story as a first-generation college student and the daughter of migrant farmworkers from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. She spoke candidly about how difficult higher education can be when families are expected to navigate unfamiliar systems without guidance. Then she urged parents not to hesitate.

“Do not be afraid to ask a question,” she told the audience. “That is why we are here today.”

Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, president of Fresno State, described growing up working in the fields harvesting tomatoes with his family, where long days of labor taught him lessons that would shape the rest of his life.

“It was difficult work under the sun. The heat was intense, and the labor was constant. But through that experience, I learned the value of perseverance, sacrifice, and dedication,” he told families.

He urged students to see college campuses not as intimidating places, but as spaces filled with opportunity and support.

“Success is possible. Get involved. Participate on campus. These opportunities are here for you,” he said.

Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, the daughter of migrant farmworkers, connected instantly with many families in the room as she reflected on parents who may not know every detail of the education system but still move their children forward through determination, sacrifice, and love.

“My parents did not always understand every part of the school system, but they never stopped pushing us forward,” Soria said. “When families are empowered, children succeed. When communities participate, everyone moves forward.”

When families have access to information and support, she said, students gain more than resources. They gain confidence, direction, and the belief that they belong.

One of the key features of the day was a parent ambassador panel led by PIQE’s Adolfo Lopez, Community Engagement Manager, and Dr. Janet Nunez Pineda, Director of Family Engagement, featuring parent ambassadors Armanda Ruiz, Karina Lora, Virginia Ramirez, and Rosalba Ochoa who shared her story with attendees. Panelists spoke about their journeys from parents seeking support for their own children to advocates now helping other families navigate schools, technology, and opportunity. The conversation centered on advocacy, leadership, and digital equity, but its deeper message was clear: parents are not bystanders in their children’s education. They are essential partners, community leaders, and a powerful force for change.

The summit moved from inspiration to application through workshops designed around everyday needs.

In one room, Everyone On guided families through low-cost internet options available in the Central Valley, helping close a gap that still shapes homework, communication, and access to services.

In another, the Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative introduced families to practical uses of artificial intelligence, focusing not on hype but on tools adults and students can use in real life.

Down the hall, Golden 1 Credit Union led youth workshops on financial independence, budgeting, and money skills many students will need long before graduation.

Later in the day, applause filled the room during a Bridge to College graduation ceremony and scholarship recognition, where students were celebrated not only for academic milestones, but for the persistence it took to reach them.

The summit was made possible through support from Comcast, the California Public Utilities Commission, and Carnegie Corporation of New York, with community workshops led by Everyone On, the Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative, and Golden 1 Credit Union.

But the clearest investment in the room did not come from a podium or a sponsor banner. It came from families who showed up early on a Saturday morning carrying questions, determination, and the belief that their children’s futures are worth planning for now.

About the Participating Organizations

Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) is a nonprofit organization that engages, empowers, and transforms families by helping parents become stronger advocates for their children’s education and future success.

California State University, Fresno is a public university serving the Central Valley through higher education, research, workforce development, and community partnership while creating pathways to upward mobility for students and families.

Everyone On is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating social and economic opportunity by connecting low-income families to affordable internet service, computers, and digital skills training so they can fully participate in today’s digital world.

Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative (CVIIC) is a regional partnership focused on advancing opportunity, inclusion, and support for immigrant families across the Central Valley through education, civic engagement, leadership development, and community resources.

Golden 1 Credit Union is a member-owned financial institution committed to improving the financial well-being of Californians through accessible banking services, financial education, youth empowerment programs, and community investment.

Comcast is a global media and technology company that supports digital opportunity initiatives, internet adoption, and community investment programs designed to help bridge the digital divide.

Carnegie Corporation of New York is one of the nation’s oldest philanthropic foundations, supporting education, democracy, international peace, and pathways to opportunity through strategic investments that strengthen communities and expand access to learning.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulates privately owned utilities in California while also advancing programs that expand broadband access, digital equity, and technology resources for underserved communities.