https://www.thepuenteproject.org/community-college-programs
https://www.miracosta.edu/student-services/student-equity/puente-project/index.html
By NCI
PUENTE covers “a lot of things that we feel as Latines…because you’re the only person in your family that’s doing college, you’re a first-generation college student,” says student Lou Pineda.
PUENTE is a transfer academic learning community based at UC Berkeley focused on helping community college students transfer to a UC. It includes the student-led and student-run PUENTE Club, which allows the students to practice leadership and give back to the community through service learning, volunteerism, and activism.
Six MiraCosta students tell us about their PUENTE experience in their own words.
Alondra Herrera
I am a first-generation, full-time, queer college student. My goal is to transfer to a four-year institution where I can major in urban or community studies to come back and help my community.
My career includes the revival of the MEChA Club, where I became president; participation as a student ambassador; my first internship at the Library of Congress; and participation as the first Puentista from MiraCosta to be a speaker at the HACU National Conference [and the first one selected for the HACU National Internship Program].
In PUENTE, I learned to excel. I was diagnosed with epilepsy at the beginning of my freshman year, but with the right resources and support, anything is possible to overcome. My advice is, do not self-exclude; do whatever you can no matter the obstacles.
Clarissa Treviño
I am a second-year student at MiraCosta. At the HACU 2022 conference I had the opportunity to network, and I learned that I wanted to major in mechanical engineering, in renewable energy to provide a cleaner and safer environment for my community.
I was elected by my peers for the secretary position in the PUENTE Club. We learned that the Latinx population is not reflected in colleges and universities, yet we make up the majority of the population in primary schools and cities, so we organized Adopt-a-Classroom.
Another opportunity was the Undergraduate Summer Research Program at the University of San Diego. Only six community college students are accepted each year.
PUENTE has made me realize how important it is to give back to my community. I created strong friendships with the instructors and classmates. Once a Puentista, always a Puentista.
Merilyn Navarro
I am a first-generation student who hasn’t had a lot of guidance on how to handle college. With PUENTE, I’ve just got a mountain of support…that I normally don’t receive at home.
I had the great opportunity to be the vice president of my cohort and to intern with the USDA.
PUENTE has helped me strive academically, helping me choose the classes I should take to better my chances at my dream universities. Being in PUENTE helped me create my own LinkedIn profile and resume. I also networked to the MiraCosta Honors Department, where I currently work.
PUENTE has helped me guide what steps I should be taking when it comes to college, making sure I’m not making any errors to the point where it could affect my transfer goals.
Alex Beltran
Joining PUENTE was one of the best decisions I made in my educational journey. Not only did I learn about what it takes to succeed academically, but I also had many opportunities to get involved in giving back to the local community.
I’m currently a psychology major in my second year on my way to transfer this fall, in hopes of becoming a doctor. Because of PUENTE, I received over $5000 worth of scholarships and was even pushed to apply to the prestigious NSF-REU research program at University of San Diego.
I’m one of the recipients for the Medal of Academic Merit, along with my peer, Lou. Being part of PUENTE means developing an in-depth, well-thought-out plan in regard to what I wanted to major in, where I wanted to transfer to, and what future plans I have after college, all while building a sense of community with peers and giving back to the community that has uplifted us.
Lou Pineda
I am Karen Louise “Lou” Pineda, a soon-to-transfer college student majoring in cognitive science. I moved to the United States about 6 years ago.
PUENTE taught me everything there is to know about going to college. Through its curriculum based on cultural awareness and Latine empowerment, PUENTE made me picture myself not only as a professional but also in a leadership role, as the PUENTE club president.
I received the Medal of Academic Merit, and I have been accepted to the University of San Diego’s REU program. Our club held a self-defense workshop for female PUENTistas, with awareness of the Latine feelings toward the police.
I also attended the first PUENTE STEM Academy. I was able to see my future in professionals that resembled me. College and STEM is not about doing everything on my own but also finding my community within it … seeing that community empowered.
Sergio Mendoza
I am a first-generation Latino college student planning to transfer to a UC school, double majoring in mathematics and economics. I joined the PUENTE program because it sounded like a safe, uplifting community of Latino students. The students were self-driven and desired success for their families and community.
I am now in my third semester as a research assistant with the USDA, in the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) agency, researching funding and developing a spreadsheet full of data. My work has expanded to various other tasks, and I was able to become very flexible within the department and shoot for endless opportunities.
I have applied everything that PUENTE taught me to reach my full potential to compete in the real world.
Counselor Sinar Lomeli
The students thank their PUENTE counselor, Sinar Lomeli. Lou says, “I feel greatly indebted to Professor Sinar Lomeli for always pushing me to do better, achieve, and see how can I make my dreams come true.”
For Merilyn, one memory stands out; when she won an internship. “When I told [Lomeli] the news, she started screaming out of happiness for me.”
Opportunities
The PUENTE students, with Vista Unified School District, led the Adopt-a-Classroom initiative, where they taught elementary students the importance of higher education.
Also, the students represented PUENTE and MiraCosta at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) 2022 conference.
The PUENTE students Clarissa, Alex, Lou will be participating this summer in the research program of the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) at the University of San Diego. They will be provided with free on-campus housing and will receive a stipend of $6000.
