​Santa Ana College Hosts Academic Boot Camp Beginning March 9

(Santa Ana, CA)—The Veterans Upward Bound Program at Santa Ana College (SAC) will host an eight-week Academic Boot Camp that will provide non-credit college preparation courses in math and English beginning March 9 through May 7. The Academic Boot camp is a no cost, open enrollment opportunity that focuses on supporting veterans, but is available to all college and high school students.

“The Academic Boot Camp has proven itself to be a short program that shows immediate impact,” says Joseph Alonzo, SAC veteran services coordinator and United States veteran. ”The Academic Boot Camp allows veterans and non-veteran students to take short-term refresher courses to jog their memories on courses they have not taken in years. With the utilization of limited resources available and a 98 percent improvement rate, the Veterans Upward Bound Program demonstrates infinite opportunities for growth and expansion for The Academic Boot Camp.”

The Academic Boot Camp began in the summer of 2013 at Santa Ana College, with an exclusive registration guideline stating the program was open to veterans only. With a successful inaugural program serving 125 students in both math and English courses, the Veterans Upward Bound Program partnered with SAC’s School of Continuing Education. The partnership continues today and has allowed for the Academic Boot to expand further, allowing open enrollment to all students.

“I have nothing but positive things to say regarding the Veterans Upward Bound Program and the Academic Boot Camp,” shared 27-year-old Miguel Palomares, U.S. Army veteran and graduate of the Academic Boot Camp. “I had been out of school for five years, I wanted to learn about my benefits, but I had no idea where to start. The staff guided me through every step, and suggested the math and English refresher courses in the Academic Boot Camp. It served as a jump-off point for me as a student; it helped me focus my goals into one clear direction and now I am studying nursing here at Santa Ana College.”

In 2012, Santa Ana College was awarded $250,000 annually in a five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education for the Veterans Upward Bound Program. The funds were awarded to help military veterans develop the academic skills necessary to succeed in college-level courses. The Santa Ana College Veterans Upward Bound grant was the only grant awarded to a community college in the state of California.

The Academic Boot Camp during spring 2015 will host two eight-week sessions for math and two eight-week sessions for English. Math refreshers are held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. or Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. English refreshers are held Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. or Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

For more information regarding the Veterans Upward Bound Program and to register for the Academic Boot Camp, visit www.sac.edu/vub or call the Veterans Resource Center at (714) 564-6288.

About Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College (SAC), which is turning 100 years old in 2015, serves about 18,000 students each semester at its main campus in Santa Ana. The college prepares students for transfer to four-year institutions, provides invaluable workforce training, and customized 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 other medical personnel. SAC is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District. Visit www.sac.edu to learn more. For information about Santa Ana College’s Centennial, please visit www.sac.edu/100.