News Archive

Program News

In 2004, Puente was chosen as one of six model programs nationwide to help guide policymakers to improve college access and success by the Pathways to College Network, a national consortium of educational institutions, foundations and non-profit organizations. Chosen for its successful track record in "embracing the social, cultural and learning-style differences in developing learning environments and activities for underserved students," Puente was chosen from among over 100 organizations studied by the Pathways Network for its report, A Shared Agenda: A Leadership Challenge to Improve College Access and Success, released February 2004.

In 1998, Puente was one of ten programs selected from a national pool of over 1,400 to win the prestigious Innovations in American Government Award, a program of the Ford Foundation, the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and the Council for Excellence in Government. Puente has been studied by numerous academic researchers, and was the focus of the entire September 2002 issue of the journal Educational Policy.

People News

Angela Acosta-Salazar joined Puente in October 2006 as the Southern California High School Community Leadership/Mentor Coordinator, with responsibilities to help implement the newly redesigned high school mentoring program component. She works to recruit community leaders and professionals to serve as role models and advisors to students, and with Puente high school teams in planning events and panels to facilitate these goals.

Mannie Baig resigned in January 2007 to be a full time mom. She provided her analytical skills to many Puente units and was a major contributor to the redesign of the high school mentoring component.

Keenzia Budd resigned in February 2007 to travel to New Zealand to participate in a program to become a teacher of English as a second language. She worked in the administrative program group for several years and was widely appreciated for her excellent administrative support.

Stella Gonzales transferred to another UCOP unit in January 2007. She had been with Puente since 2002 and many community college conferences and trainings went more smoothly because of Stella's knowledge of the program and her skills in facilitating events.

Remy Reyes retired on December 31, 2006. During her seven years with Puente, she earned the respect and admiration of all her colleagues, and we will miss her very much. Remy had worked for UC since 1983, at the Office of the President and on the Berkeley campus. Remy's attention to detail and her organizational skills facilitated the administrative logistics associated with the program's professional trainings.