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Student Support Services TRiO Newsletter
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Check out our NVC SSS website.
www.napavalley.edu/ssstrio
Join us on Facebook!
Napa Valley College SSS Program
Get Connected with SSS...
SSS TRiO is a federally funded grant by the U.S. Department of Education
”
Creating a Culture of Success in SSS -Howard Willis
Dean of Counseling Services & Student Success
Director of SSS TRiO
On Friday, May 15, 2015, over 175 students, families, friends, and NVC staff attended
the 7th Annual Student Support Services (SSS) TRiO Awards Ceremony held at Napa
Valley College. This year, we celebrated the academic achievements of
42 SSS TRiO graduates and transfers!
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The 7th Annual Student Support Services (SSS) TRiO Awards Ceremony recognized SSS
TRiO Students who will be graduating with a degree, certificate, and/or transferring to a
4-year institution. The event was put together by SSS TRiO staff to celebrate the academic
achievements of SSS TRiO students at Napa Valley College.
Ceremony attendees consisted of: the Vice-President, Oscar De Haro, Board of Trustees
member Kyle Iverson, Constituent Services Representative from Congressman Mike
Thompson’s Office, Edith Gonzalez, SSS TRiO staff, Educational Talent Search staff, and
SSS TRiO students along with their family, and friends. The keynote speaker of the evening
was Kyle Iverson, Napa Valley College Board of Trustee member. Also in attendance was
SSS TRiO honorary guest, Roberto Alvarado. He awarded his previous students with their
SSS TRiO medallion.
After a potluck dinner, SSS TRiO Graduates were presented a special video that highlighted
each of the graduates and their moments with the SSS TRiO Staff and Program. The presen-
tation was created by Lizbeth Gutierrez.
Following the presentation, each graduate was awarded a SSS TRiO Certificate, a Congres-
sional Certificate from Mike Thompson’s Office (TRiO advocate), and a SSS TRiO
medallion to wear at the 72nd Annual Napa Valley College Commencement Ceremony.
Each student also had an opportunity to speak. Most students spoke about their experience
at Napa Valley College particularly as a member of the SSS TRiO Program and shared their
gratitude.
The 2015 graduating class has many outstanding accomplishments!
15 students will be graduating with honors with a 3.5 GPA or higher.
34 students will be graduating with at least a 3.0 GPA or higher.
38 out of 42 students will be transferring on to 4-year universities.
14 students will be transferring to a University of California, including 4 to UC Davis, 5
to UC Berkeley, 2 to UC Santa Barbara, and other students will attend UC Riverside, UC
Santa Cruz and UC Los Angeles.
12 students will be transferring to a California State University, including 3 students to
Sacramento State, 2 to Sonoma State, 2 to CSU East Bay and other students will attend
San Jose State, San Francisco State, Chico, Cal Poly Pomona and CSU Los Angeles.
3 students are choosing to attend a private institution, 2 to Pacific Union College and a
student to attend University of San Francisco.
Other students are still determining what college they would like to attend for Fall 2015.
(See Pages 12-16 of Newsletter for highlights on each individual graduate).
For the 11th straight year in a row, an SSS TRiO student has been selected as one of the
valedictory speakers for Napa Valley College’s Commencement Ceremony. This year SSS
TRiO Student and Office Assistant, Monica Hurtado was selected.
(See Valedictory Tradition on page 9).
During the SSS TRiO Awards, the recipient for the Laura Gustafson Memorial Scholarship
(Founding Director of SSS TRiO) was recognized. Congratulations Monica Hurtado!
(See page 11).
The evening ended with closing remarks by SSS TRiO Staff. Once again, congratulations to
the SSS TRiO graduates for your academic success!
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Kyle Iverson Keynote Speaker
Napa Valley College Board of Trustees
Howard Willis Dean of Counseling Services & Student Success
SSS TRiO Director
Oscar De Haro Vice-President of Student Services
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Thank you to all who attended the SSS TRiO
Awards Ceremony!
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Each SSS TRiO graduate received a SSS TRiO Excellence certificate and a
Congressional certificate from the Honorable Congressman Mike Thompson
which was presented by Edith Gonzalez, Constituent Services Representative.
Graduates also received a Napa Valley College SSS TRiO medallion which
will be worn by SSS TRiO students at the Napa Valley College
72nd Annual Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 29, 2015!
SSS TRiO Graduates & Transfers
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We want to share with you a SSS TRiO tradition you may or
may not know about. The SSS TRiO program has the honor and
privilege of having a SSS TRiO student selected as one of the
valedictory speakers for the past 10 years and this year is our
11th year in a row! We are excited to announce that SSS TRiO student and Office
Assistant, Monica Hurtado, has been selected as one of the Napa
Valley College Valedictory speakers for the
Napa Valley College 72nd Commencement Ceremony to be held
on Friday, May 29, 2015.
Congratulations to Monica Hurtado!
Monica Hurtado
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S ince 2005, SSS TRiO staff selects a student every year that embodies Laura Gustafson’s passion for
student success. Gustafson was a passionate and caring person that founded the SSS TRiO program
at the Napa Valley College campus. Directing the program from 1998-2003, her generosity and deter-
mination to help 180 SSS TRiO low-income and/or first-generation college students every year con-
tinues to be a big part of the heart behind our program.
In her memory, this year’s recipient is Monica Hurtado. The newly admitted UCLA Bruin has a long history of
both campus and community involvement. Coming into Napa Valley College, Monica already had a back-
ground of giving to others through countless volunteer and mentoring opportunities offered through her high
school. There she helped mentor students and families in different organizations such as Napa Valley’s Cope
Family Center, Napa Emergency Women’s Services (NEWS), and Puertas Abiertas.
She channeled this early found commitment to aid others through her experience at Napa Valley College as
well. As a strong advocate for learning and creating opportunity for all to learn, Monica was on the planning
committee and an opening speaker for the Annual Latino Youth Leadership Conference in 2013 where she
worked with middle school and high school students to empower their educational journey. Monica’s dedica-
tion to her community involvement didn’t stop her from maintaining a 3.5 GPA and above through her time at
Napa Valley College. In fact, she earned a 4.0 GPA four times. During her time at Napa Valley College, she
has also been part of several organizations. Besides being an active member of SSS TRiO and our Student
Worker, she has excelled in leading her peers in the Puente Program by serving as the Club President and par-
ticipating in the UC Riverside Puente Leadership Conference. Other programs and organizations Monica was
involved with includes the Napa Valley Dream Team, the LEGACY Project, the planning committee for Napa
Valley’s Hispanic Heritage Month, and much more. One program in particular, the Kinship program, is a
youth mentoring program that she started at Chamberlain High School which serves students on court proba-
tion. These examples are only a few of the cases that exemplify her continuing giving nature and advocacy for
student success and learning. Congratulations and thank you, Monica Hurtado!
Besides being an SSS TRiO student and our Office
Assistant for the past two years, Monica’s extensive
work in the community makes her an exemplary
student that embodies our Founding Director’s
mission for student success.
MONICA HURTADO
Lorenzina (Laura) Gustafson Memorial
Scholarship Recipient!
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Maria Hurtado
2005 Johana Guzman
2005
Deisy Urena
2005
Rosalio Tellez
2006-2007 Kareema Cunningham
2007-2008 Brigida Alcazar
2008-2009
Aurora Ildefonso
2009-2010
Rachell Perez-Ruiz
2010-2011
Daysi Orozco
2011-2012
Stephanie Avina
2012-2013
Lorenzina (Laura) Gustafson Memorial Scholarship
Tanya Castro
2013-2014
Scholarship Recipients Through the Years...
Lesem Perez
2005
Lorenzina (Laura)
Gustafson
Founding Director
SSS TRiO
1998-2003
“When one of you
succeeds,
all of us succeed!”
Monica Hurtado
2014-2015
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Joshua Aragon AA Degree: Social Behavioral
Sciences UC Berkeley
History
Andy Baldovino AS Degree: Natural Science
and Math UC Santa Cruz
Engineering
Priscilla Blanco AS Degree: Science and Math
IGETC Cert. UC Davis
Animal Science/Integrative Biology
Ivette Brambila IGETC Cert.
UC Davis Psychology
Kizal Butt AS Degree: Science and Math
IGETC Cert. Transfer to 4-year University
Rhetoric/Communications
Coraima Calderon AA Degree: Social Behavioral
Sciences IGETC Cert.
Sonoma State Sociology
Ahtziri (Alejandra) Cardenas AA Degree: Social/Behavior,
Psychology & CSU Certif. Sacramento State
Psychology
April Clary* AS Degree: Natural Science and Math & IGETC Certif. Transfer to 4-Year Univ.
Rhetoric/Communications
Fabricio Calderon AA Degree: Social Behavior-
al Sciences CSU Los Angeles
Fire and Protection Tech
Stu
den
ts w
ith a
3.5
GP
A o
r hig
her
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Alejandro Cuevas AA Degree: Social Behavior-al Sciences & IGETC Certif. University of San Francisco
Rhetoric/Ethnic Studies/Sociology
Omar Delgadillo AS Degree: Natural Science
and Math & CSU Cert. San Francisco State
Criminal Justice
Mariana De La Cruz AA Degree: Social Behavioral
Sciences Transfer to 4-Year University
Sociology
Jasmine Cuellar AS Degree: Natural Science and Math & CSU Certificate
Chico State Nursing
Martha De La Cruz AA Deg: Social/Behavior & AS
Deg: Human Services Sociology
Attalah Elkadi UC Davis Biology
Rochelle Ellis AA-T Degree: Communica-tion Studies & CSU Certif.
Sacramento State Communications
Vanessa Farias AS Degree: Natural Science and Math & CSU Certificate
Pacific Union College Nursing
Janette Garcia AA Degree: Social Behavioral
Sciences & IGETC Certif. UC Berkeley
Rhetoric/Communications
Stu
den
ts w
ith a
3.5
GP
A o
r hig
her
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Elizabeth Garcia-Navarro AA Degree: Social Behavioral
Sciences & IGETC Certif. UC Davis Sociology
Roxana Garcia-Ochoa AA Deg: Social/Behav, AS
Deg: Science/Math, IGETC UC Davis
Sociology
Susana Garcia-Sanchez AS Degree: Human Services
Sacramento State Social Work
Daisy Garibay AA Degree: Social Behavioral
Sciences & IGETC Certif. UC Berkeley Psychology
Herman Hernandez AS Degree: Natural Science
and Mathematics UC Irvine or UC Davis
Mechanical Engineering
Monica Hurtado AA Degree: Social Behavioral
Sciences & IGETC Certif. UC Los Angeles
Sociology
Jesse Leingang AA Degree: Business Manage-
ment & CSU Certificate Sacramento State
Business Administration
Serafin Lopez AA Degree: Social/Behav,
Psychology & IGETC Certif. Sonoma State
Psychology
Marilu Martinez AA-T Degree: Kinesiology &
CSU Certificate CSU East Bay Kinesiology
Stu
den
ts w
ith a
3.5
GP
A o
r hig
her
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Ernesto Mauricio AS Degree: Natural Science and Math & CSU Certificate
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Dietetics/Nutrition
Rosemary Mendez AS Degree: Natural Science
and Mathematics UC Davis or UC Berkeley
Chemistry
Guejazi Navarrete AS Degree: Natural Science
and Mathematics UC Santa Cruz or UC Davis
Electrical Engineer/Computer Science
Gabriela Ochoa AA Degree: Social Behavioral
Sciences San Jose State Liberal Studies
Fabian Quintana AS Degree: Natural Science and Math & IGETC Certif.
UC Riverside Economics
Oghenekevbe (Keway) Okotie Pacific Union College
Biology
Adriana Ramos IGETC Certificate
UC Berkeley Political Science
Luserito Rosas Martinez AA Deg: Social/Behav AS Deg:
Science/Math, IGETC UC Berkeley
Sociology
Phillip Sabedra AS Degree: Natural Science
and Mathematics Mechanical Engineering S
tuden
ts w
ith a
3.5
GP
A o
r hig
her
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Jesus Sanchez AA Degree: Social Behavioral
Sciences & IGETC Certif. UC Berkeley
Rhetoric
Grecia Sandoval AA Deg.: Soc/Behav.,
AS Deg.: Science/Math, CSU Certif.
CSU East Bay Nursing
Luis Solorio AS Degree: Natural Science
and Mathematics Transfer to 4-Year University
Nursing
Lilianna Vega AA Degree: Social Behavioral
Sciences & IGETC Certif. UC Santa Barbara or UC
Berkeley Sociology
Derrick Troupe AS Degree: Natural Science
and Mathematics UC Los Angeles or USC or
UC Berkeley Business
Alejandra Valencia AS Deg: Science/Math, AA Deg:
Bus. Mngmnt & IGETC UC Santa Barbara
Students with a 3.5 GPA or higher
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Thank you to the many other Napa Valley College
employees and students who work to make this a
memorable event for our graduates and transfers!
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Congratulations
Survey Winners:
Priscilla Blanco
Jesse Leingang
Rosemary Mendez
Gaby Ochoa
Thank you to all of our graduating and/or transferring
students for completing the SSS TRiO Experience
Survey. Each year, we ask students to complete a
survey for program feedback. All of your suggestions
are greatly appreciated!
Graduation Cap Decorating Contest:
Thank you to everyone that has submitted their
graduation cap pictures so far. They all look great!
Students can still submit an entry by Monday, June
1st by emailing Renee Coffin at:
Winners will be announced
next week via email.
SSS TRiO Experience
Survey and Graduation
Cap Winners!
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Each year, Napa Valley College provides a variety of scholarships to current students.
These scholarships are made possible by the generous donations from the
Napa Valley College Foundation and various individuals, organizations, and businesses.
This year, over $215,500 in award to support to our amazing Napa Valley College
students. Of these students, 24 were SSS TRiO students.
Congratulations to all 2015 Napa Valley College scholarship recipients!
Isabell Angel
Andy Baldovino*
Stephanie Brandt
Kizal Butt*
April Clary*
Alejandro Cuevas*
Rochelle Ellis*
Manuel Esqueda
Janette Garcia*
Susana Garcia*
Daisy Garibay*
Monica Hurtado*
Adriana Ramos*
Christian Rios
Jesus Sanchez*
Damaris Solis
Karina Solis
Guillermo Soria
Maritza Soto
Alexander Tavizon
Derrick Troupe*
Mario Valadez
Alejandra Valencia*
Lilianna Vega*
*Graduating and/or Transfer Student
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First and foremost congratulations!!! You did it;
you are moving on to experience new and exciting
opportunities. My words of wisdom for each one
of you are to network early. Make time this sum-
mer to visit your future school (your new home) at
least three or four times before class begin
Fa.2015. Sign up and attend your school’s orienta-
tion asap, research the programs and special ser-
vices available to you at your new school. Make
your campus “your new home” just like you did
with us at SSS.
I want to thank each one of you for participating in
SSS and for giving me the oppor-
tunity to work with you. I will
miss you but it is time for you to
move on and continue your jour-
ney towards accomplishing your
academic and career goals; suerte
y muchas
gracias. Martin Olguin :)
Dear SSS TRiO Graduate, I’m so excited
and happy for this moment. I remember
the time each of you submitted an appli-
cation to join SSS TRiO. I would greet
you all with “Hellos” and “goodbyes”
and “Have a good day”. The email re-
minders, the phone calls, the letters and
now here we are today celebrating your
achievements of graduating with a de-
gree, certificate, and/or transferring to a
4-year institution. I’m so very PROUD
of each one of you and everything you
have accomplished. I
wish each one of you a
future that’s as bright as
this day and as full of
hope as your dreams.
Renee Coffin
Dear incredible SSS TRiO graduates and transfers, I want to dedicate my
favorite quote to you:
“Most people search high and wide for the key to success.
If they only knew the key to their dream lies within.”
-George Washington Carver
You have the KEY!! Congratulations as you take on the
next step in your incredible journey. We are proud of
you!!! Howard Willis
I am so very proud of each and
every one of you. You have all
worked hard and your work
has finally paid off. This tran-
sition is an exciting one, so
embrace it and make the best
out of it. Your time at the uni-
versity will be challenging, but
very rewarding and fun at the
same time. Be proud of this
moment and confident in what
your future holds. Always
remember that each of you
hold something
special. Wish-
ing you nothing
but the best, and
congratulations!
Lili Rivera
Congratulations on such an exciting time! I am
very proud of all of your accomplishments and I
look forward to hear about all of the great things
you will do next. I have no doubt in my mind that
you all will make a positive
impact in this world. Remem-
ber, you always have your SSS
TRiO family full of support for
your future goals and aspira-
tions.
Lizbeth Gutierrez