JAMES ESPINOZA: Puente is based on a cohort model, which
means students are taking certain classes together.
Since 1981, Puente mission is to increase
the number of educationally disadvantaged students
who enroll in universities, earn college degrees,
and return to the community as mentors and leaders
to future generations.
BRENDA VENEZIA: They get orientation in the summer,
so they get a chance to meet each other
and already kind of build that sense of family.
And then we put them in cohorts.
They take classes together.
They do events together.
They meet each other's families.
It's very community-based.
JAMES ESPINOZA: The three main components of the Puente model
are English instruction, counseling support for students,
and mentoring support for students.
NANCY FONG: It's really how the faculty and the students
are in constant workflow with one another
throughout the academic year.
It's not a traditional classroom where we may or may not
know our students' names, we may or may not
know their personal stories.
But for Puente, we get to know our students
on an individual basis in a group setting.
BRIAN ALVARADO: My favorite thing about the Puente classes
are the kind of pedagogy that the professors utilize.
It really gets you connected with the material
that you're learning and really gets you engaged
with the overall material.
JAMES ESPINOZA: Faculty that are part of Puente
receive a lot of training on culturally-relevant material
and social justice-oriented practices.
LEAH MARTINEZ: Meeting new people,
having good connections with the instructor--
you get to reach out to them.
They give you extra support.
I've made a lot more new friendships
with being in Puente, so that's really nice.
ALEXA HINOJOSA: [SPEAKING SPANISH]
JAMES ESPINOZA: It makes going to the job
feel like you are contributing to your own community,
like you are impacting students' lives
and they're impacting yours as well.
NANCY FONG: I just got to witness their growth as adults
and as learners and now professionals,
so that brings me joy in my role.