Rio Hondo College Receives $778,000 NSF Award for Fuels Training
Rio Hondo College is collaborating with Central Oregon Community College on a $778,000, three-year National Science Foundation (NSF) project as part of its Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program to develop a safety certification program for technicians who work on electric and fuel cell vehicles. The NSF/ATE funding is the second received by Rio Hondo College’s innovative Alternative Fuels Technology Program, a leader in training students and industry technicians to work on alternative fuels vehicles.
Rio Hondo College Math and Science Division Hosts Eclipse Viewing
Rio Hondo College’s Math and Science Division will host an eclipse viewing in the lower quad of the College’s Whittier campus, providing solar eclipse viewing glasses to students, faculty, staff and administration on a first-come, first-served basis. The eclipse begins at 9:05 a.m. and ends at 11:44 a.m. Maximum coverage occurs at 10:21 a.m. with nearly 71 percent of the sun blocked by the moon.
Rio Hondo College is collaborating with Central Oregon Community College on a $778,000, three-year National Science Foundation (NSF) project as part of its Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program to develop a safety certification program for technicians who work on electric and fuel cell vehicles. The NSF/ATE funding, awarded July 28, is the second received by Rio Hondo College’s innovative Alternative Fuels Technology Program, a leader in training students and industry technicians to work on alternative fuels vehicles. The two colleges will meet in August to establish a timeline for the project, which will likely include setting up a classroom at each college to beta-test developed concepts with collaboration from industry experts.
Rio Hondo College Launches 2017-18 School Year
Rio Hondo College will welcome back students to fall semester on Saturday, Aug. 19 with new courses in nursing, hospitality as well as an expanded focus on math and English at its three educational centers. This is the first semester for the College’s Rio Promise program, which waives first-year tuition for 2017 graduates of high schools in Rio Hondo College’s service area.
Rio Hondo College is launching an orthopedic technician program and a hospitality management course in 2017-18. The hospitality management course will function as a regular class, while applications will be required for the orthopedic technician program. Hospitality management is a fast-growing industry that has expanded from restaurants and hotels to airlines, cruise lines, amusement parks and sports arenas, among other venues. Demand is expected to grow over 10 years by up to 30 percent for some food service and event planning posts. The orthopedic technician program will be the first of its kind in the Los Angeles region.
Rio Hondo College boosted math placements for incoming students in fall 2016 after deploying a pilot program that uses multiple measures to assess student skills, rather than relying on a single placement test. More than 7,000 incoming students were assessed under the new system, which included overall high school GPA and an analysis by Rio Hondo College counselors of high school math courses completed. As a result, 9.3 percent of students were placed into transfer-level math classes – the highest placement possible – up from 2.6 percent under the old system. The second highest level of math placement also received a boost in student placements, while the three lowest levels saw a drop in student placements. The same system was used for English placements.
Rio Hondo College’s new vice president for finance and business brings more than 24 years of working for California community colleges in finance and fiscal management. Yulian I. Ligioso, who starts his new post on July 24, most recently served for six years as vice president for finance and administration for Solano Community College District. The post included budget development and finance administration as well as a broad range of administrative concerns, including oversight of bond construction, information technology, campus police, and service on campus negotiating teams. While at Solano, Ligioso helped secure $12.3 million in federal funds for a 2.5 megawatt solar farm and implemented other energy initiatives, saving the District about $1 million a year and securing rebates of $1.2 million.
Rio Hondo Holds 7th Annual CTE Academy for Middle School Students
Follow-up Story: About 100 area seventh-graders assembled car engines, built radios, crafted bridges, learned First Aid and CPR, and explored 3-D printing from July 17-21 during Rio Hondo College’s seventh annual CTE Academy. The program allowed students from area school districts to explore science and technology career fields under the supervision of Rio Hondo College instructors and students in Rio Hondo College’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. Photos are available
Rio Hondo College Fire Crew 77 was activated July 7 to support U.S. Forest Service crews for the next 14 days as they fight fires across the state. Called the Roadrunners, the crew is staffed by cadets of Rio Hondo College’s Wildland Fire Academy. Rio Hondo College Wildland and Fire Coordinator Tracy Rickman serves as chief for the crew, which was called up three times in summer 2016.
About 100 area seventh-graders will assemble car engines, build radios, craft bridges, learn First Aid and CPR, and explore the potential of 3-D printing from Monday, July 17 to Friday, July 21 during Rio Hondo College’s seventh annual CTE Academy. The program allows students from area school districts to explore science and technology career fields under the supervision of a cadre of Rio Hondo College instructors and students in Rio Hondo College’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. The academy runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the College’s hilltop campus, 3600 N. Workman Mill Road, Whittier.
