Río Hondo College will host a ribbon cutting during a grand opening celebration for the institution’s first Pride Center scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15. The center will serve as an inclusive space where students who identify as LGBTQIA+ can go for support resources and gather in community. The Pride Center is near Río Hondo College’s Administration Building (A-119), located at 3600 Workman Mill Road, Whittier.
Río Hondo College received a four-year reaffirmation of accreditation from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) on Jan. 16, highlighting the College’s commitment to excellence in institutional effectiveness and ensuring a high-quality education for its students. The ACCJC, a division of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), announced Río Hondo College’s reaffirmation after a comprehensive review from a peer-review team that included two site visits where they examined evidence and interviewed Río Hondo College representatives.
Río Hondo College will continue its mission to remove barriers to educational opportunity for students, as the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) selected Río Hondo as one of 10 community colleges statewide to implement the Hire UP pilot program. Hire UP is a five-year program designed by CCCCO to acknowledge and address historic racial inequity and socioeconomic barriers to workforce participation. Students who participate in the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) and RISE Scholars Program, along with former foster youth, are eligible to apply for the Hire UP program, where they will be provided with stipends to help them meet the true cost of college attendance and gain clear access to academic programs and workforce support.
The Río Hondo College community is invited to join Superintendent/President Dr. Marilyn Flores for an in-person coffee talk event, Un Cafecito, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Friday, May 10. Dr. Flores will use this opportunity to meet with members of the community, hear their ideas, and establish camaraderie with those who participate in the event. Un Cafecito is hosted at the Río Hondo College Administration Building’s Board Room, located at 3600 Workman Mill Road, Whittier.
Río Hondo College Board of Trustees members held its annual organization and election of board officers on Dec. 13, as the Board continues to uphold the vision, mission and values of Río Hondo College. The Board elected Anais Medina Diaz as the new president. Oscar Valladares was selected to serve as vice president and Rosaelva Lomeli will step into the clerk position. Kristal Orozco was presented with a gift of appreciation for her leadership and service as Board president in 2023 and will continue to serve as a Board member alongside Vicky Santana.
Río Hondo College secured high rankings in the Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine’s Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics list. Based on the latest data from the federal NCES Integrated Post-Secondary Education System, Río Hondo College ranked 25th among both two-year and four-year institutions with a total enrollment of 17,677 Hispanic/Latinx students, which was the ninth most among two-year schools in the 2021-22 school year. Río Hondo College also ranked 17th with 1,885 total associate degrees granted to Hispanic/Latinx students. Additionally, the College’s family and consumer sciences/human sciences degrees major ranked fifth among two-year and four-year institutions with 141 total degrees granted to Hispanic/Latinx students.
The Río Hondo College men’s and women’s soccer teams have qualified for the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) Southern California Regional and will open the state tournament on the road with first-round matchups. The Roadrunner women’s team enter as the 12th seed in the SoCal Regional and will face fifth-seeded Santa Barbara City College, while the men’s team qualified as the No. 13 seed and will face fourth-seeded Santa Monica College.
Río Hondo College women’s volleyball team is celebrating its 2023 South Coast Conference (SCC) championship, which secured the College’s first conference title since 1995 with a dominant performance that spanned the entire regular season. The Roadrunners, who saw seven individuals earn All-SCC honors, ended the regular season with a 20-4 overall record and 15-1 run through the SCC. The team will play its first playoff game at home at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 21 against Moorpark College in the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) Southern California Regional. Río Hondo College is located at 3600 Workman Mill Rd., Whittier.
Both Río Hondo College men’s and women’s soccer teams have qualified for the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) Southern California Regional and will open the state tournament on the road with first-round matchups on Saturday, Nov. 18. The Roadrunner women will face fifth-seeded Santa Barbara City College at La Playa Stadium at 1 p.m., and Río Hondo College’s men will take on fourth-seeded Santa Monica College in Corsair Stadium at 4 p.m. La Playa Stadium is located at 721 Cliff Dr., Santa Barbara, and Corsair Stadium is located at 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica.
La Puente High School senior Josiah Hernandez has emerged as a scholar and advocate for his school and District community, participating in various extracurricular activities, clubs and sports, earning him the National Football League’s Hispanic & Latino Excellence in Youth Football Award. Hernandez was recognized for his exceptional football abilities and dedication to civics. During the selection process, each of the 32 teams in the league selected one male and one female student to be recognized during game day on Oct. 15. The Los Angeles Rams selected Hernandez, leading to his inclusion as one of eight finalists in California eligible to receive a college scholarship.
