(Santa Ana, Calif.) – Since 1984, a program at Santa Ana College (SAC) has offered students valuable mentoring, counseling and out-of-class cultural enrichment, along with the academic support they need to succeed in the college writing courses required for university transfer. Known as the Puente Program, it also provides SAC students with a small learning community cohort that includes a counselor and English instructor for one academic year to support and address barriers that educationally disadvantaged students experience in higher education.
SAC's Puente Program is part of the statewide Puente Project sponsored by the California Community Colleges and the University of California to improve transfer rates for students from diverse backgrounds. SAC was the third community college in the state to offer a Puente Program.
“Puente provides a tremendous opportunity for Santa Ana College students to receive personalized academic support during their required English Composition and Critical Thinking classes, along with specialized counseling and rewarding cultural experiences," said Dr. Annebelle Nery, president of SAC. “Students also receive valuable mentoring from past Puentistas who give back to the Puente community by sharing their experiences as undergraduates, graduate students and professionals in the workforce."
Recently, Puente celebrated its 40th anniversary in California, with a statewide celebration attended by Nery and other SAC officials.
“It was my honor to represent SAC at the anniversary celebration as one of the first community colleges in the state to adopt a Puente Program," Nery said. “Across California, Puente has served students by providing foundational support to elevate and achieve their academic goals."
At SAC, Puente accepts 28 students into a cohort each Fall, said Ann Lockhart, a counselor and one of the program coordinators and instructors. Professor Sara Kelley is the dedicated English faculty member for the Puente program. Over the academic year, the Puente cohort moves through English composition and Critical Thinking courses together.
“I'm a strong believer in learning communities and Puente is the cornerstone model for these in California," continued Lockhart. “These cohorts have been very effective in keeping underrepresented students on campus, moving them through those required English courses within their first year, and support positive movement toward their higher educational goals."
In their coursework, Lockhart said she and other instructors challenge Puente students to build their collaboration and leadership skills – seen as valuable traits on university transfer applications.
“The UCs want students who are leaders," she said. “They want students who can work with others, stand out, are proactive and get involved. Our program is designed to get the students ready, but also to dispel any misconceptions the students may have, such as they don't belong in a university, cannot handle the academic challenges or perhaps cannot afford it. We demystify all of that. That's the beauty of what we do."
There is no extra cost to take part in the Puente program at SAC, but students must commit to the extra academic, counseling, mentoring and cultural activities involved.
Lockhart also encourages students to pay it forward. “The hope is that Puentista alumni return as mentors to support and be role models to future SAC cohorts, she added.
Once in the cohort, students receive personalized academic planning and financial aid counseling with the aim of successfully transferring to a four-year college or university. Puente students also attend extracurricular college tours, museum trips and performances.
“We just came back from touring UC Irvine, and we visited the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture in Riverside," Lockhart said. “We've also attended poetry readings and had famous authors come in to speak with Puente students."
To be eligible for Puente at SAC, students must not have taken English Composition (English 101) or Critical Thinking (English 103). While many students opt to take part in Puente during their first year at SAC, it is open to re-entry students as well.
Students from all academic majors are eligible for Puente at SAC, Lockhart said. Selected students are required to dedicate a full year to the program and must agree to attend at least one out-of-class activity a month. “The extracurricular schedule is manageable even for working students," she added.
Registration for SAC's 2023-2024 Puente cohort is open now. Interested students can call (714) 564-6165 or email puente@sac.edu. For more information about Santa Ana College or to enroll, please visit SAC.EDU.
Questions about this press release can be directed to Dalilah Davaloz, public information officer at davaloz_dalilah@sac.edu or by calling (714) 564-5527.
About Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College (SAC), which turned 100 years old in 2015, serves about 20,000 students each semester. The college prepares students for transfer to four-year institutions and provides workforce training for business and industry. In addition, another 11,000 students are served through the college's School of Continuing Education located at Centennial Education Center. Ranked as one of the nation's top, two-year colleges awarding associate degrees to Latino and Asian students, the college is also recognized throughout the state for its comprehensive workforce training programs for nurses, firefighters, law enforcement and medical personnel. SAC is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District.
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