The Puente Program is a two-semester program which links students, a counselor, an English instructor, community mentors and UC and other colleges in an effort to increase the number of students who transfer from two-year colleges to four-year colleges. The goal of the Puente Program is to increase the number of educationally under-served students who enroll in four-year colleges and universities.

Through the reading of Chicano/Latino literature and writings, counseling assistance, and connections to professional mentors, students receive the instruction and support they need to achieve academic success and transfer. Students also participate in extracurricular activities, such as college tours, UC representative visits, and family nights, which are designed to increase the retention of Puente Students. Originally, the goal of the Puente Program was to increase the number of Mexican American and Latino students who transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Today, the program is open to all students.

What Puente Offers:

  • Linked courses
  • Easy integration of transfer activities
  • Leadership development
  • Formal one-on-one mentor-student relationships (sustained for a minimum of one year) 
  • Motivational speakers
  • Cultural and literary events
  • Transfer information and student success skills
  • Writing skills workshops and one-on-one tutoring
  • A support system to help students overcome the challenges of collegiate life
puente students and mentors