WHITTIER – Rio Hondo College has been named to the 2016 list of Top 25 Community Colleges for Hispanics by Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine, recognizing the College’s popularity among Latino students and its success in helping them attain degrees.

The list is based on data reported by community colleges to the National Center for Education Statistics. Hispanic Outlook has generated the list for about 20 years.

Rio Hondo College ranked 13th for its Latino student population, at 80.7 percent in 2014. The College ranked 24th for associate degrees completed by Latino students for data reported for the same year.

“Rio Hondo College is dedicated to helping all of our students succeed as they pursue degrees and transfer to four-year colleges, train in one of our highly regarded public safety academies or acquire new job skills,” said Superintendent/President Teresa Dreyfuss. “This recognition of our success on behalf of a significant population of our students is incredibly significant.”

Rio Hondo College provides all students with a wide array of support services, including an innovative First Year Success Center. The College is recognized as an Hispanic-serving institution by the federal government, which has awarded it several Title V grants to develop services specifically for Latino students.

One such grant helped the College create a popular Summer Bridge program that eases student transitions from high school. The most recent, awarded in September, will bring $2.62 million over five years.

College leaders will use the latest funds to expand Rio Hondo’s capacity for fostering student success by creating a yearlong integrated success pathway for first-year students to persist into their second year. The program will be offered through the First Year Success Center.

“What makes this honor so special is that it recognizes Rio Hondo for its commitment to its community,” said Board of Trustees President Mary Ann Pacheco. “It rewards our talented faculty and college leadership for their dedication to our primary mission: Helping students achieve their dreams.”