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 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’s Mesoamerican Clay-Figurine Project has received a $157,000 grant from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), which will improve classroom facilities, provide more learning materials and boost interest in arts and humanities. The grant was awarded by ACLS through the Sustaining Public Engagement Grant Program, which is part of the Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP) initiative. The SHARP initiative was enacted to help the U.S. recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Río Hondo College Art Gallery will unveil its latest exhibition “Through the Empyrean,” which features the work of Ada Pullini Brown. The exhibit is curated by Gallery Director Robert Miller. The exhibition features a series of sky paintings that were created during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brown’s work is meant to depict the loss of freedom and enforced isolationism resulting from the last two years of COVID-prompted closures.
Río Hondo College students had the opportunity to talk face-to-face with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Congresswoman Linda Sánchez on March 29, relaying their own personal stories about housing and food security and discussing what elected officials can do to provide further assistance. Cardona and Sánchez met with six current and former Río Hondo College students, Superintendent/President Teresa Dreyfuss and the College’s Board of Trustees, then went into a roundtable discussion with Dreyfuss and the students, discussing topics such as the Hope Scholars Program, transportation, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Río Hondo College and the Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Marilyn Flores as its new Superintendent/President to continue leading the College on the path of prosperity, achievement and success. The Board unanimously appointed Flores on March 24. Flores will succeed Superintendent/President Teresa Dreyfuss, who retires on June 30, 2022. Flores is currently the vice president of academic affairs at Santiago Canyon College in Orange County and previously served as interim president for Santa Ana College.
Río Hondo College has announced four finalists for the position of superintendent/president after an extensive national search by the College’s Presidential Search Committee, which considered the applications of many professionals from across the country. The final four candidates are Marilyn Flores, Ph.D., Don Miller, Ph.D., Cynthia Olivo, Ph.D. and Tammy Robinson, Ed.D. The search for the new superintendent/president started in November 2021 with a series of virtual open forums to solicit feedback from students, faculty, staff, and community members. An employment profile was created by the Search Committee and the Association of Community College Trustees. Upon their selection, Río Hondo College’s new leader will succeed Superintendent/President Teresa Dreyfuss when she finishes her contract in June 2022. The College will begin its final selection process, in which Flores, Miller, Olivo and Robinson will participate in a virtual public forum from 1 – 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22. The event, which will be held via Zoom, will provide 60 minutes to each of the finalists as they introduce themselves and their future goals.
Río Hondo College will host the return of its popular and lively “A Taste of Río” event on Friday, June 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. (5 p.m. for VIPs) – inviting guests onto campus for an evening of delicious foods, fine wines, craft beers, live entertainment and a silent auction. Created by the Río Hondo College Foundation, “A Taste of Río” raises funds for scholarships to support students in achieving their educational goals. Presale tickets are $75 for general admission and $125 for VIP passes. Tickets are available now and can be purchased online at https://gorio.page/atasteofrio. Río Hondo College is located at 3600 Workman Mill Road, Whittier.
Río Hondo College has established a Universal Articulation agreement with Arizona State University (ASU), providing students with a reliable and rigorous academic preparedness transfer program to guide them toward earning bachelor’s degrees. Approved in the fall of 2021, the program, called MyPath2ASU™, provides students with course-by-course guided pathways, course applicability for transferable credits, personalized communications with ASU and guaranteed admission to ASU if all requirements are fulfilled.
Celebrating the success of its cultural exchange program, Río Hondo College received an award from the Culture Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) and the mayor of New Taipei City during a ceremony on Feb. 18. Río Hondo College and TECO will adopt a plan for the Taipei-California International Cultural Exchange Project, with both parties signing a memorandum of understanding to mark a new year of international education.
Río Hondo College has been awarded a nearly $1 million grant to fund the Hope Scholars Program, a basic needs assistance project that provides holistic support services for unhoused and transitionally unhoused students. The College was one of five schools nationally to be recognized with the Basic Needs in Postsecondary Education award by the Federal Department of Education. On Dec. 29, Río Hondo College received notification of the award, which will be used for the continued support of unhoused and transitionally unhoused students. The total funds, amounting $989,798, will increase staffing for the Hope Scholars Program.
