Community College Programming
Transfer Ready. Degree Bound. Community First.
Community college is where dreams get tested, and where Puente shows up. For students who are the first in their families to pursue higher education, the transfer pathway can feel overwhelming. The Puente Community College Program surrounds students with what they need most: a teacher who knows them, a counselor who champions them, and a mentor who has walked a similar road. Across 75 campuses in California, the result is students who not only survive the process, but grow to lead it.
The Puente Community College Program is an academic, counseling and mentoring program of support for students to build the skills necessary for success in both academic and career goals while in community college.
Outcomes that Speak for Themselves
At 75 community college campuses across California, the Puente model consistently produces students who persist, transfer, and succeed at rates that outpace their peers statewide. These outcomes are the product of a deliberate, evidence-based approach, combining rigorous English instruction, transfer-focused counseling, and professional mentorship to keep first-generation scholars on track from enrollment to degree. The data below reflects what happens when students are given not just access, but real, sustained support.
92%
of Puente community college students enroll in two consecutive terms
(compared to 67% of all California community college students statewide)
100%
of Puente community college students report a transfer goal of BA/BS degree completion, and 49% report a goal of attending graduate school.
9 in 10
Community College Puentistas are First Generation Scholars
93%
of students report that their involvement in Puente helped them succeed academically
“Puente didn’t just help me succeed in school—it helped me believe I belonged there.”
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Ready to Bring Puente to Your Campus?
Puente's community college program is growing, and we're looking for campuses committed to closing the transfer gap for first-generation scholars. Whether you're a dean, faculty member, or counselor, we'd love to explore what Puente could look like at your institution. Every new site receives full implementation support, ongoing professional development, and access to a statewide network of Puente educators with decades of experience building student success.