Updates from Promise Scholars Program

Updates from Promise Scholars Program

The Promise Scholars Program team at Cañada College is so excited to announce that they have moved into a new office space. They would like to welcome you and invite you to come visit them in Building 6 Room 112. They encourage you to visit them when you have some free time so that you can get a sense of where they are located and more easily refer students. The program recently added new members to the team.

Michael West is a Counselor for the Promise Scholars Program. He earned both his bachelors and masters degree from San José State University. As an undergraduate student at San José State University, he double majored in Psychology and Behavioral Sciences. As a graduate student, he completed his M.A. degree in Education with a concentration in Counseling and Student Personnel.  Michael’s passion to support students’ academic success stems from his own background as a first-generation student. His involvement in peer mentor programs in high school and college, both as a mentor and mentee, ignited his passion to support others in their academic and personal aspirations. When out of the office, Michael enjoys being physically active, playing video games, and spending time with friends and family. 

Elaine Le is the new College Recruiter for the Promise Scholars Program. She has BA in Sociology with a concentration in Social Interaction from San José State University. Elaine has worked as an Academic Coach with the California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP) where she provided a cohort of 125 students with assistance and support to achieve their college aspirations. During her time as a student at San José State University she served as a Diversity Advocate Intern at Mosaic Cross Cultural Center. In this role she worked to educate the campus community and foster discussions about social justice issues through developing and presenting workshops. Elaine is very excited to join the Promise Scholars Program team and to be a part of the larger Cañada College Community. 

Ariela Villalpando is the Program Services Coordinator for the Promise Scholars Program. She has a MA in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of San Francisco and a BA in Humanities from San Jose State University. Ariela believes that higher education is a transformative process that all students deserve to experience. As a student affairs practitioner, Ariela follows five principles that shape her personal philosophy; validation of narratives, engagement in servant leadership, commitment to social justice, involvement in student development, and dedicated to learning from others. Ariela is a Bay Area native who enjoys day trips to San Francisco and discovering new restaurants. She enjoys hiking and admiring ocean views of small coastal cities. You can find her at music festivals with her friends. Ariela loves to travel and enjoys learning about art and culture. She enjoys meeting new people and is excited to work with students.

Student Success Story: Silvia Gomez

Student Success Story: Silvia Gomez 

It took Silvia Gomez almost five years to earn her medical assisting certificate from Cañada College. But just days after graduating, she was rewarded with a job as a medical assistant at an optometry clinic.  

While Silvia's job search was short and painless, her path to get there was anything but. In Mexico, Silvia went to school through sixth grade. When, at age 16, she moved to the US and started high school, her classmates teased her because she was so far behind. Silvia dropped out and got a job at Jack in the Box. 

Following in the footsteps of her aunt, Silvia then enrolled in an Intensive Nurse Assistant training program and eventually got a job at a nursing home on the night shift - from 11 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. - so she could go to school during the day. She took ESL classes at Sequoia Adult School and Cañada College, then embarked on the classes she needed to get her medical assisting certificate. She was in school for almost five years. 

"There were so many times, when I wanted to give up. I had to work all night and take care of my daughter and take classes that were so difficult," Silvia says. "I almost quit, but I didn't. Now, I can't believe what I did." Silvia was helped every step of the way by Upward Scholars, a local non-profit that provides community college students, mostly adult immigrants, with financial and academic support so they can succeed in community college. This semester, Upward Scholars is supporting more than 240 students, most of whom attend Cañada College.

Upward Scholars provided Silvia with funds for her books, which often cost several hundred dollars a semester, and with a laptop so that she could study while on her break at work. “Upward Scholars helped me a lot because I knew they believed in me, so I started to believe in myself,” Silvia says. Silvia has no intention of resting on her laurels. She's currently enrolled in Cañada’s pre-nursing program and, after that, hopes to enroll in a nursing program at a university.  

College Creates Meal Bundle Program

College Creates Meal Bundle Program 

After reviewing the campus-wide assessment on food insecurities that took place last semester, the Student Senate, Bookstore, and SparkPoint teams joined forces to create a campus-wide meal subsidies program. In just three weeks after being released in the first week of school, students purchased over 830 subsidized grab-and-go meals. These meals are available at the Bookstore and Pony Espresso with a valid Cañada College Student Body Card, which can be picked up at The Center for Student Life and Leadership Development. Meal bundles include a sandwich, piece of fruit, water, and snack for just $6 in the day and $3 at night. Would you like an opportunity to support students across campus to get their basic needs met? There’s an opportunity for your dollars to subsidize meals for your student program! Contact Student Senate at canadacollegeascc@gmail.com to learn more.