The Río Hondo College Foundation will host a golf tournament to raise financial assistance for scholarships, programs, equipment and projects that meet the needs of the College’s diverse student population.
Seventeen high school students put their business skills and passion into action at Río Hondo College’s annual Entrepreneur Camp Río, a two-week camp that teaches students how to achieve success as young entrepreneurs. The camp was led by Río Hondo College faculty members certified by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). Students learned how to identify business opportunities, construct a financial model and create a marketing and sales strategy. The camp welcomed students from seven schools in the area including Arroyo, El Monte, El Rancho, Gabrielino, Glen A. Wilson, La Serena and Mark Keppel high schools.
Río Hondo College’s Theater Department is brimming with excitement as cast and crew members prepare for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” a musical about the hijinks surrounding a spelling bee competition. The musical, which premiers on Thursday, Aug. 4 in the College’s Wray Theater, marks the return of in-person musicals for Río Hondo College since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous theater performances were held via Zoom. Professor of Theater Arts William Korf, who is also directing the play, said he and his team of actors and crew members are glad to be back on stage but are keeping high safety standards. Korf said selecting “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” was purposefully done to allow actors to spread out on stage while still showcasing their talents.
Río Hondo College will host the “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” a musical about six quirky adolescents navigating their way through the rigors of an off-the-wall spelling bee run by a set of equally zany grown-ups.
A Taste of Río,” the signature event of the Río Hondo College Foundation, welcomed guests with an evening of fine foods and drinks on June 17, bringing in nearly $70,000 for student scholarships and other support services. Foundation officials hosted a crowd of approximately 400 guests at the outdoor event, where they enjoyed lively music and bright decorations while sampling a wide variety of tastings including Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards, Gondola Pizza, Mi Burrito Mexican Grill, Eastaza Coffee and Angry Horse Brewing.
Río Hondo College students were celebrated by professors, administrators, friends and family members as they decorated the college campus with adoring signs, bouquets of colorful flowers and congratulatory gifts celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2022. This year, 1,700 students earned Bachelor of Science, Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees. Of those degrees, 1,157 are Associate Degree for transfer, meaning they are eligible for admission to the California State University system. The 2022 graduation ceremony marked the fourth class of students to receive Bachelor of Science degrees from the College, with 21 Río Hondo College students receiving their degrees.
Río Hondo College will host its 59th commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, May 27 to honor the Summer/Fall 2021 graduates and Spring 2022 degree candidates. The event will take place in Student Parking Lot A and include a speech from Superintendent/President Teresa Dreyfuss, “Profiles of Student Success” presentations by Vice President Dr. Earic Dixon-Peters, and the announcement of the Marie I. Pellissier Award, given to this year’s valedictorian. Río Hondo College is located at 3600 Workman Mill Rd., Whittier.
Río Hondo College’s Reaching Institutionalized Students through Education (RISE) Scholars program will receive significant additional funding to provide counseling, peer tutoring, mentoring and other services, thanks to a Rising Scholars Network grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO). The CCCCO grant will provide more than $460,000 – spread over three years – to the RISE Scholars program, an award-winning Río Hondo College academic initiative that seeks to educate and empower formerly incarcerated students or those impacted by the criminal justice system. This is the first year the RISE Scholar program has received the CCCCO grant.
Río Hondo College is meeting the high demand for more electric vehicle technicians by joining Tesla’s Pathway to START Program – an intensive training course that prepares new high school graduates to enter the College’s Tesla’s START program. Launched in 2021, the Pathway to START Program places recent high school graduates into an eight-week online program to work with Southern California Tesla service centers, during which they learn the basics of servicing electric vehicles.
Río Hondo College Superintendent/President Teresa Dreyfuss, Board of Trustees Member Rosaelva Lomeli and Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education Specialist Laura Verdugo joined City of South El Monte officials and dignitaries for a National Day of Prayer event on May 5. The event, which was held at the El Monte Community Center, included an introduction from the City of South El Monte Mayor Gloria Olmos and a color guard presentation featuring the El Monte American Legion Post 10.