The Puente Project is an award-winning program that is proven to improve student success. Puente’s mission is to increase the number of traditionally underserved students who transfer into four-year colleges. Puente employs a learning community model that brings students together in a familia through shared English courses and Guidance courses. Students also form relationships with professional community members and faculty through the mentoring component of the program.

Mt. San Jacinto College’s Puente program has been an active and influential student success program for fifteen years. For the past 7 years, I have been involved with Puente in three roles: as the Puente English instructor and co-coordinator, as a Puente mentor, and as the Puente Club advisor. Acting as a leader in Puente has enriched my life and made me a better teacher and human, and every year I feel overwhelmed with gratitude at having the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful program.