Skip Navigation
Oklahoma State University

Mission & Objectives

Mission Picture
Unidos Students at OSU for Summer Academy


The mission of ¡Unidos Se Puede! is to increase the number of Latinx students from the city of Tulsa that attend and graduate a higher education institution.


¡Unidos Se Puede! (United We Can!) is a family-based intervention program designed to help Latino middle-school youth excel in school, avoid risky behaviors such as drug use and teen pregnancy, and reduce the chronic stress in their lives that leads to long-term physical and emotional problems like heart disease and depression.


¡Unidos Se Puede! provides an interactive two year program that uses a three prong approach to guide students and their families through the rigors of pursing a higher education.

  1. Family Engagement. Families attend a series of sessions throughout the academic year that help parents understand the educational system of the United States, become more involved in their child’s school and ultimately learn to advocate for their child’s success.
  2. Child Personal Agency. Students are assigned to a success coach who works with them to develop an individualized educational plan based on the needs and assets of the child. Coaches monitor student progress using data provided by the school and guide youth in the development of emotion regulation, goal setting, critical thinking, and problem solving skills. Coaches emphasize the importance of a strong parent-adolescent relationship and help youth cultivate skills and attributes that aid in positive youth development.
  3. Positive Peer Affiliations. Students participate in activities where they are offered a safe space to bond with one another and develop a sense of belonging with a group of like-minded peers. Activities focus on exposure to STEM related fields which are designed to build competency in life skills, as well as increased motivation to pursue higher education in fields of science and technology. A final outing takes youth to OSU Stillwater where they are encouraged to envision themselves completing a four-year degree through hands on activities such as DNA sequencing and videography.