ACES Highlights 2016

ACES Summer Transfer Bridge Experience

The ACES Program has collaborated with the Arise, Aspire, Dream, & Reach Programs as well as the Transfer Center for the ACES Summer Transfer Bridge Experience in the summer of 2016. Twenty-seven students from various programs (ACES, Arise, Aspire, Dream, & Reach) completed a Physical Geography lecture and lab (transferrable to both UC & CSU). This experience included a six-day UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) visit in order to finish the course. Students also traveled to the Santa Cruz Channel Islands for a Ropes Course Teambuilding at UCSB. During their stay, the students kayaked in the Ventura harbor. All participants attended mandatory transfer workshops and completed their Personal Insight Statements for the UC. They also attended a five-week summer tutoring session at Mt. SAC and finished the course at UCSB. All of the students successfully passed the lecture and lab courses and stated that this experience has given them confidence and understanding of the transfer process. This is the second year that ACES Summer Transfer Bridge Experience has been funded by Student Equity funds and has achieved 100% success rate each summer.

Council of Education Policy Seminar - Washington, DC

Students visit the Capitol in Washingon DC The ACES program received funding from the Associated Students Division to take six ACES students and two staff members to Washington DC in March of 2016. These six students attended the Council of Education Policy Seminar. This seminar gave the students an insight into the federal legislative process. The students had the opportunity to meet with members of Congress and discuss the impact of the ACES Program and their academic endeavors at Mt. SAC. In addition to meeting with congressional members, the students and staff also had the opportunity to attend informational sessions and visit other cultural sites and universities.

The Policy Seminar mobilizes the TRIO communities (professionals, students and alumni) in the United States to learn about Policy Advocacy and to meet with Congressional Representatives.

Transfer Achievement Celebration - 2016

Mt. SAC Graduation Ceremony 2016 The ACES 2016 Transfer Achievement Celebration took place on May 20th, 2016. Twenty-three ACES students have transferred to UC, CSU and Private Schools. Twenty out of twenty-three students have attained their AA/AS/AA-T degrees. Some of the students remain connected to the ACES Program while they attend four-year institutions. Other students have gone on to Masters and Doctorate Programs.

Below is the list of students that have transferred from Mt. SAC since the inception of the program in August 2010:

2010-2011: 2 Transfers
2011-2012: 20 Transfers
2012-2013: 30 Transfers
2013-2014: 29 Transfers
2014-2015: 30 Transfers
2015-2016: 23 Transfers

Study Abroad Program

ACES Study Abroad Group 2016 The ACES program has collaborated with the Global Opportunities (GO) Study Abroad Office. The ACES and GO offices jointly encourage, assist, advise and prepare ACES students to apply for the Gilman National Scholarship ($5,000). ACES has assisted 11 students to study abroad. ACES students that return back from their experiences abroad motivate other first generation and low income students to apply for this scholarship and to study abroad before or after they transfer. Below is a list of ACES students that have studied abroad and have been recipients of the Gilman National Scholarship:

- - Spain: Spring 2014
    - Gloria Gutierrez
  - Spain: Spring 2015
    - Lucky Morales
    - Yadira Terriques
    - Stephanie Flores
  - Spain: Spring 2016
    - Martin Barajas
    - Christine Sonco
    - Juan Carlos Rodriguez
- - London: Fall 2015
    - Raymond Cobb
    - Veronica Galvan
    - Jackie Fuentes
  - Paris: Summer 2016
    - Andrea Herring

Financial Literacy Program

ACES developed a Financial Literacy Program in collaboration with the Financial Aid Department and the President’s Office. The program aims to implement financial literacy efforts in all Mt. San Antonio College students. The ACES Program led the development and implementation of the financial literacy events listed below

Fall 2014: 291 Mt. SAC Attendees
Fall 2015: 60 Mt. SAC Attendees
Spring 2015: 200 Mt. SAC Attendees
Spring 2016: 277 Mt. SAC Attendees

This program was created to address the need for financial literacy topics such as budgeting, savings, loans and debt recovery amongst first -generation and low income college students. These groups of students are typically at high risk for accruing loans and debt. A highlight of this program is the cross-campus collaboration that took place between the President’s Office, Foundation, Business Division and the following programs in the Student Services division at Mt. SAC:

ACES
Bridge
Reach
EOPS

Financial Aid
ARISE
Counseling

High School Outreach
Aspire
Transfer Center