Community College Programs
STUDENT VOICES
"As a re-entry student, I would have never thought or believed that I - a ward of the court, an underprivileged
street-kid, and later a
single-father - would ever graduate from college.
Because of Puente, I am now a different type of statistic."
— Jose Enciso
Sam Bernardino Valley College • AA, Liberal Arts
UC Riverside • BA, English
Goal: Graduate degree in education and/or counseling
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Pictured: Jose with SBVC Puente English Instructor, Alma Lopez
Once a Puentista, always a Puentista
The PUENTE Community College Program is an academic, counseling and mentoring program of support for students to build the skills necessary for success in both academic and career goals while in community college. Students enrolled in the PUENTE program work closely with their Counselor, English Instructor and Mentor to prepare for transfer to four-year colleges and universities.
ENGLISH
Students enroll with the same PUENTE instructor for classes over one academic year which creates a supportive environment for students through the curriculum. The courses integrate Latino and other multicultural literature in combination with skill-appropriate scaffolding for texts that build in rhetorical and thematic complexity. Students are also provided with an opportunity to use mentors and their communities as a resource for writing and to develop their relationships with their mentors. The courses offer an environment that provide students with the support and motivation likely to enable them to transfer.
COUNSELING
The PUENTE counselor provides academic, personal, and career counseling to prepare students to transfer to a four-year college or university. To help build the educational support network necessary for the students’ success, the counselor also integrates the students’ families into the program.
The PUENTE counselor teaches a personal development (PD) class designed to enhance the students' college success. Relevant college and career success skills, information, and resources are available to assist each student in examining, planning, and setting her/his personal, academic, and career goals.
MENTORING
Our PUENTE mentors support the PUENTE counselor and English instructor by motivating PUENTE students to build the social and cultural capital they will need for their future success as college students and career professionals. All PUENTE Mentors are trained to follow mentoring guidelines and serve as successful career role models to their student mentees. Our experience shows that mentoring is inspiring to BOTH mentors and their Puente student mentee.