So when she was accepted to the University of Utah, neither she nor her dad, a printer by trade, had any idea what to do next - where to go or who to call. All Motta felt she could do was try to figure it out - alone.

"Even though he encouraged me to pursue my education, he didn't know how to help me," she said. "The two worlds just didn't mix together."

Now, as a university employee and a 2004 U. alumna, Motta is helping to organize the school's first "Latina/o Educational Resource Day," a conference for minority parents and students on Saturday.

Organizers said the free event is an opportunity for parents and students to visit the campus and learn more about the U.'s programs and resources, such as scholarships, free tutoring and in-state tuition waiver for undocumented students who graduate from a Utah high school.

Parents and students also will have the chance to talk with U. students and faculty members.

Motta, a U. enrollment management employee, is in charge of helping Spanish-speaking students make the transition from high school to the university and also serves as their academic adviser.

As the first to go to college in her family, she said she knows about the stress and confusion that comes with attending college.

Motta, who started as a U. freshman in fall 1999, not only struggled to adjust to classes, she also had a hard time relating to her classmates, many of whom grew up in middle- to upper-class neighborhoods.

"It was discouraging and overwhelming," she said of her freshman year. "It was very tough learning how to navigate the system."

In fall 2005, only 1 in 5 freshmen was an ethnic minority at the university.

Latino students make up 4 percent of the school's student population of 29,012, according to school records. Latinos make up 11 percent of Utah's population, U.S. census estimates show.

Motta also said the conference will focus on the importance of the involvement of parents - whether or not they attended college - in their children's education.

She said they hope parents and students are able to use the information they learn at the conference throughout the school year.

"We want them to understand what their students are talking about when they come home for the weekend," Motta said.

Maria Martinez, a U. mass communication senior, said even though her dad is a U. alumnus, college is not easy and is a constant learning experience for anyone.

She said the event is a good match to the university's efforts to recruit minority students because the school needs more programs that keep students in school until they obtain degrees.

Martinez hopes the university invests in making Saturday's resource day an annual U. event to make Latino students and parents feel welcome.

"The more they see people like themselves, the more comfortable they'll feel on campus," she said.

jsanchez@sltrib.com

What's offered at resource day

l What: Latina/o Educational Resource Day.

l Who's invited: Minority parents and high school or college students.

l When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday

l Where: University of Utah Student Union, 200 S. Central Campus Drive.

l Sponsored by: The U. chapter of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan (MEChA), U. Student Affairs office and University Neighborhood Partners.

l What to expect: A free conference. Workshops on U. resource centers and programs, financial aid, scholarships and in-state tuition for undocumented students. Panels with U. students, faculty and staff. Lunch will be provided.

l For information: Contact Karla Motta, who speaks English and Spanish, at 801-587-9625 or e-mail kmotta@sa.utah.edu.