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Student Support Services TRiO Newsletter

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Check out our NVC SSS website.

www.napavalley.edu/ssstrio

Join us on Facebook!

Napa Valley College SSS Program

Get Connected with SSS...

SSS TRiO is a federally funded grant by the U.S. Department of Education

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Creating a Culture of Success in SSS -Howard Willis

Dean of Counseling Services & Student Success

Director of SSS TRiO

On Friday, May 15, 2015, over 175 students, families, friends, and NVC staff attended

the 7th Annual Student Support Services (SSS) TRiO Awards Ceremony held at Napa

Valley College. This year, we celebrated the academic achievements of

42 SSS TRiO graduates and transfers!

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SSS TRiO Newsletter...

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The 7th Annual Student Support Services (SSS) TRiO Awards Ceremony recognized SSS

TRiO Students who will be graduating with a degree, certificate, and/or transferring to a

4-year institution. The event was put together by SSS TRiO staff to celebrate the academic

achievements of SSS TRiO students at Napa Valley College.

Ceremony attendees consisted of: the Vice-President, Oscar De Haro, Board of Trustees

member Kyle Iverson, Constituent Services Representative from Congressman Mike

Thompson’s Office, Edith Gonzalez, SSS TRiO staff, Educational Talent Search staff, and

SSS TRiO students along with their family, and friends. The keynote speaker of the evening

was Kyle Iverson, Napa Valley College Board of Trustee member. Also in attendance was

SSS TRiO honorary guest, Roberto Alvarado. He awarded his previous students with their

SSS TRiO medallion.

After a potluck dinner, SSS TRiO Graduates were presented a special video that highlighted

each of the graduates and their moments with the SSS TRiO Staff and Program. The presen-

tation was created by Lizbeth Gutierrez.

Following the presentation, each graduate was awarded a SSS TRiO Certificate, a Congres-

sional Certificate from Mike Thompson’s Office (TRiO advocate), and a SSS TRiO

medallion to wear at the 72nd Annual Napa Valley College Commencement Ceremony.

Each student also had an opportunity to speak. Most students spoke about their experience

at Napa Valley College particularly as a member of the SSS TRiO Program and shared their

gratitude.

The 2015 graduating class has many outstanding accomplishments!

15 students will be graduating with honors with a 3.5 GPA or higher.

34 students will be graduating with at least a 3.0 GPA or higher.

38 out of 42 students will be transferring on to 4-year universities.

14 students will be transferring to a University of California, including 4 to UC Davis, 5

to UC Berkeley, 2 to UC Santa Barbara, and other students will attend UC Riverside, UC

Santa Cruz and UC Los Angeles.

12 students will be transferring to a California State University, including 3 students to

Sacramento State, 2 to Sonoma State, 2 to CSU East Bay and other students will attend

San Jose State, San Francisco State, Chico, Cal Poly Pomona and CSU Los Angeles.

3 students are choosing to attend a private institution, 2 to Pacific Union College and a

student to attend University of San Francisco.

Other students are still determining what college they would like to attend for Fall 2015.

(See Pages 12-16 of Newsletter for highlights on each individual graduate).

For the 11th straight year in a row, an SSS TRiO student has been selected as one of the

valedictory speakers for Napa Valley College’s Commencement Ceremony. This year SSS

TRiO Student and Office Assistant, Monica Hurtado was selected.

(See Valedictory Tradition on page 9).

During the SSS TRiO Awards, the recipient for the Laura Gustafson Memorial Scholarship

(Founding Director of SSS TRiO) was recognized. Congratulations Monica Hurtado!

(See page 11).

The evening ended with closing remarks by SSS TRiO Staff. Once again, congratulations to

the SSS TRiO graduates for your academic success!

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Kyle Iverson Keynote Speaker

Napa Valley College Board of Trustees

Howard Willis Dean of Counseling Services & Student Success

SSS TRiO Director

Oscar De Haro Vice-President of Student Services

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Thank you to all who attended the SSS TRiO

Awards Ceremony!

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Each SSS TRiO graduate received a SSS TRiO Excellence certificate and a

Congressional certificate from the Honorable Congressman Mike Thompson

which was presented by Edith Gonzalez, Constituent Services Representative.

Graduates also received a Napa Valley College SSS TRiO medallion which

will be worn by SSS TRiO students at the Napa Valley College

72nd Annual Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 29, 2015!

SSS TRiO Graduates & Transfers

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We want to share with you a SSS TRiO tradition you may or

may not know about. The SSS TRiO program has the honor and

privilege of having a SSS TRiO student selected as one of the

valedictory speakers for the past 10 years and this year is our

11th year in a row! We are excited to announce that SSS TRiO student and Office

Assistant, Monica Hurtado, has been selected as one of the Napa

Valley College Valedictory speakers for the

Napa Valley College 72nd Commencement Ceremony to be held

on Friday, May 29, 2015.

Congratulations to Monica Hurtado!

Monica Hurtado

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S ince 2005, SSS TRiO staff selects a student every year that embodies Laura Gustafson’s passion for

student success. Gustafson was a passionate and caring person that founded the SSS TRiO program

at the Napa Valley College campus. Directing the program from 1998-2003, her generosity and deter-

mination to help 180 SSS TRiO low-income and/or first-generation college students every year con-

tinues to be a big part of the heart behind our program.

In her memory, this year’s recipient is Monica Hurtado. The newly admitted UCLA Bruin has a long history of

both campus and community involvement. Coming into Napa Valley College, Monica already had a back-

ground of giving to others through countless volunteer and mentoring opportunities offered through her high

school. There she helped mentor students and families in different organizations such as Napa Valley’s Cope

Family Center, Napa Emergency Women’s Services (NEWS), and Puertas Abiertas.

She channeled this early found commitment to aid others through her experience at Napa Valley College as

well. As a strong advocate for learning and creating opportunity for all to learn, Monica was on the planning

committee and an opening speaker for the Annual Latino Youth Leadership Conference in 2013 where she

worked with middle school and high school students to empower their educational journey. Monica’s dedica-

tion to her community involvement didn’t stop her from maintaining a 3.5 GPA and above through her time at

Napa Valley College. In fact, she earned a 4.0 GPA four times. During her time at Napa Valley College, she

has also been part of several organizations. Besides being an active member of SSS TRiO and our Student

Worker, she has excelled in leading her peers in the Puente Program by serving as the Club President and par-

ticipating in the UC Riverside Puente Leadership Conference. Other programs and organizations Monica was

involved with includes the Napa Valley Dream Team, the LEGACY Project, the planning committee for Napa

Valley’s Hispanic Heritage Month, and much more. One program in particular, the Kinship program, is a

youth mentoring program that she started at Chamberlain High School which serves students on court proba-

tion. These examples are only a few of the cases that exemplify her continuing giving nature and advocacy for

student success and learning. Congratulations and thank you, Monica Hurtado!

Besides being an SSS TRiO student and our Office

Assistant for the past two years, Monica’s extensive

work in the community makes her an exemplary

student that embodies our Founding Director’s

mission for student success.

MONICA HURTADO

Lorenzina (Laura) Gustafson Memorial

Scholarship Recipient!

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Maria Hurtado

2005 Johana Guzman

2005

Deisy Urena

2005

Rosalio Tellez

2006-2007 Kareema Cunningham

2007-2008 Brigida Alcazar

2008-2009

Aurora Ildefonso

2009-2010

Rachell Perez-Ruiz

2010-2011

Daysi Orozco

2011-2012

Stephanie Avina

2012-2013

Lorenzina (Laura) Gustafson Memorial Scholarship

Tanya Castro

2013-2014

Scholarship Recipients Through the Years...

Lesem Perez

2005

Lorenzina (Laura)

Gustafson

Founding Director

SSS TRiO

1998-2003

“When one of you

succeeds,

all of us succeed!”

Monica Hurtado

2014-2015

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Joshua Aragon AA Degree: Social Behavioral

Sciences UC Berkeley

History

Andy Baldovino AS Degree: Natural Science

and Math UC Santa Cruz

Engineering

Priscilla Blanco AS Degree: Science and Math

IGETC Cert. UC Davis

Animal Science/Integrative Biology

Ivette Brambila IGETC Cert.

UC Davis Psychology

Kizal Butt AS Degree: Science and Math

IGETC Cert. Transfer to 4-year University

Rhetoric/Communications

Coraima Calderon AA Degree: Social Behavioral

Sciences IGETC Cert.

Sonoma State Sociology

Ahtziri (Alejandra) Cardenas AA Degree: Social/Behavior,

Psychology & CSU Certif. Sacramento State

Psychology

April Clary* AS Degree: Natural Science and Math & IGETC Certif. Transfer to 4-Year Univ.


Fabricio Calderon AA Degree: Social Behavior-

al Sciences CSU Los Angeles

Fire and Protection Tech

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Alejandro Cuevas AA Degree: Social Behavior-al Sciences & IGETC Certif. University of San Francisco

Rhetoric/Ethnic Studies/Sociology

Omar Delgadillo AS Degree: Natural Science

and Math & CSU Cert. San Francisco State

Criminal Justice

Mariana De La Cruz AA Degree: Social Behavioral

Sciences Transfer to 4-Year University

Sociology

Jasmine Cuellar AS Degree: Natural Science and Math & CSU Certificate

Chico State Nursing

Martha De La Cruz AA Deg: Social/Behavior & AS

Deg: Human Services Sociology

Attalah Elkadi UC Davis Biology

Rochelle Ellis AA-T Degree: Communica-tion Studies & CSU Certif.

Sacramento State Communications

Vanessa Farias AS Degree: Natural Science and Math & CSU Certificate

Pacific Union College Nursing

Janette Garcia AA Degree: Social Behavioral

Sciences & IGETC Certif. UC Berkeley


Stu

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3.5

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Elizabeth Garcia-Navarro AA Degree: Social Behavioral

Sciences & IGETC Certif. UC Davis Sociology

Roxana Garcia-Ochoa AA Deg: Social/Behav, AS

Deg: Science/Math, IGETC UC Davis

Sociology

Susana Garcia-Sanchez AS Degree: Human Services

Sacramento State Social Work

Daisy Garibay AA Degree: Social Behavioral

Sciences & IGETC Certif. UC Berkeley Psychology

Herman Hernandez AS Degree: Natural Science

and Mathematics UC Irvine or UC Davis

Mechanical Engineering

Monica Hurtado AA Degree: Social Behavioral

Sciences & IGETC Certif. UC Los Angeles

Sociology

Jesse Leingang AA Degree: Business Manage-

ment & CSU Certificate Sacramento State

Business Administration

Serafin Lopez AA Degree: Social/Behav,

Psychology & IGETC Certif. Sonoma State

Psychology

Marilu Martinez AA-T Degree: Kinesiology &

CSU Certificate CSU East Bay Kinesiology

Stu

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ith a

3.5

GP

A o

r hig

her

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Ernesto Mauricio AS Degree: Natural Science and Math & CSU Certificate

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Dietetics/Nutrition

Rosemary Mendez AS Degree: Natural Science

and Mathematics UC Davis or UC Berkeley

Chemistry

Guejazi Navarrete AS Degree: Natural Science

and Mathematics UC Santa Cruz or UC Davis

Electrical Engineer/Computer Science

Gabriela Ochoa AA Degree: Social Behavioral

Sciences San Jose State Liberal Studies

Fabian Quintana AS Degree: Natural Science and Math & IGETC Certif.

UC Riverside Economics

Oghenekevbe (Keway) Okotie Pacific Union College

Biology

Adriana Ramos IGETC Certificate

UC Berkeley Political Science

Luserito Rosas Martinez AA Deg: Social/Behav AS Deg:

Science/Math, IGETC UC Berkeley

Sociology

Phillip Sabedra AS Degree: Natural Science

and Mathematics Mechanical Engineering S

tuden

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ith a

3.5

GP

A o

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her

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Jesus Sanchez AA Degree: Social Behavioral

Sciences & IGETC Certif. UC Berkeley

Rhetoric

Grecia Sandoval AA Deg.: Soc/Behav.,

AS Deg.: Science/Math, CSU Certif.

CSU East Bay Nursing

Luis Solorio AS Degree: Natural Science

and Mathematics Transfer to 4-Year University

Nursing

Lilianna Vega AA Degree: Social Behavioral

Sciences & IGETC Certif. UC Santa Barbara or UC

Berkeley Sociology

Derrick Troupe AS Degree: Natural Science

and Mathematics UC Los Angeles or USC or

UC Berkeley Business

Alejandra Valencia AS Deg: Science/Math, AA Deg:

Bus. Mngmnt & IGETC UC Santa Barbara

Students with a 3.5 GPA or higher

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Thank you to the many other Napa Valley College

employees and students who work to make this a

memorable event for our graduates and transfers!

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Congratulations

Survey Winners:

Priscilla Blanco

Jesse Leingang

Rosemary Mendez

Gaby Ochoa

Thank you to all of our graduating and/or transferring

students for completing the SSS TRiO Experience

Survey. Each year, we ask students to complete a

survey for program feedback. All of your suggestions

are greatly appreciated!

Graduation Cap Decorating Contest:

Thank you to everyone that has submitted their

graduation cap pictures so far. They all look great!

Students can still submit an entry by Monday, June

1st by emailing Renee Coffin at:

[email protected].

Winners will be announced

next week via email.

SSS TRiO Experience

Survey and Graduation

Cap Winners!

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Each year, Napa Valley College provides a variety of scholarships to current students.

These scholarships are made possible by the generous donations from the

Napa Valley College Foundation and various individuals, organizations, and businesses.

This year, over $215,500 in award to support to our amazing Napa Valley College

students. Of these students, 24 were SSS TRiO students.

Congratulations to all 2015 Napa Valley College scholarship recipients!

Isabell Angel

Andy Baldovino*

Stephanie Brandt

Kizal Butt*

April Clary*

Alejandro Cuevas*

Rochelle Ellis*

Manuel Esqueda

Janette Garcia*

Susana Garcia*

Daisy Garibay*

Monica Hurtado*

Adriana Ramos*

Christian Rios

Jesus Sanchez*

Damaris Solis

Karina Solis

Guillermo Soria

Maritza Soto

Alexander Tavizon

Derrick Troupe*

Mario Valadez

Alejandra Valencia*

Lilianna Vega*

*Graduating and/or Transfer Student

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First and foremost congratulations!!! You did it;

you are moving on to experience new and exciting

opportunities. My words of wisdom for each one

of you are to network early. Make time this sum-

mer to visit your future school (your new home) at

least three or four times before class begin

Fa.2015. Sign up and attend your school’s orienta-

tion asap, research the programs and special ser-

vices available to you at your new school. Make

your campus “your new home” just like you did

with us at SSS.

I want to thank each one of you for participating in

SSS and for giving me the oppor-

tunity to work with you. I will

miss you but it is time for you to

move on and continue your jour-

ney towards accomplishing your

academic and career goals; suerte

y muchas

gracias. Martin Olguin :)

Dear SSS TRiO Graduate, I’m so excited

and happy for this moment. I remember

the time each of you submitted an appli-

cation to join SSS TRiO. I would greet

you all with “Hellos” and “goodbyes”

and “Have a good day”. The email re-

minders, the phone calls, the letters and

now here we are today celebrating your

achievements of graduating with a de-

gree, certificate, and/or transferring to a

4-year institution. I’m so very PROUD

of each one of you and everything you

have accomplished. I

wish each one of you a

future that’s as bright as

this day and as full of

hope as your dreams.

Renee Coffin

Dear incredible SSS TRiO graduates and transfers, I want to dedicate my

favorite quote to you:

“Most people search high and wide for the key to success.

If they only knew the key to their dream lies within.”

-George Washington Carver

You have the KEY!! Congratulations as you take on the

next step in your incredible journey. We are proud of

you!!! Howard Willis

I am so very proud of each and

every one of you. You have all

worked hard and your work

has finally paid off. This tran-

sition is an exciting one, so

embrace it and make the best

out of it. Your time at the uni-

versity will be challenging, but

very rewarding and fun at the

same time. Be proud of this

moment and confident in what

your future holds. Always

remember that each of you

hold something

special. Wish-

ing you nothing

but the best, and

congratulations!

Lili Rivera

Congratulations on such an exciting time! I am

very proud of all of your accomplishments and I

look forward to hear about all of the great things

you will do next. I have no doubt in my mind that

you all will make a positive

impact in this world. Remem-

ber, you always have your SSS

TRiO family full of support for

your future goals and aspira-

tions.

Lizbeth Gutierrez

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