CSUEB to host 16th annual Chabot Puente Project breakfast March 7

• March 6, 2014 10:00am

Cal State East Bay will be hosting the 16th annual Chabot Puente Project Student-Mentor Breakfast on Friday (March 7) from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the Multipurpose Room of the New University Union on the Hayward Campus. The event is sponsored by CSUEB's Office of the President.

It is anticipated that more than 60 Chabot College students, along with about 20 program mentors and a few local elected officials and other community dignitaries will be in attendance, according to Stan Hebert, acting vice president for Student Affairs at CSUEB. Hebert also said that about a dozen seniors from Hayward area high schools participating in the Puente program will also be in attendance.

"The purpose of this annual breakfast is two-fold," Hebert said. "The first is to support and recognize the importance of student-mentor relationships; the second purpose is to introduce "Puentisitas" -- a term for Puente Project students -- counselors, and mentors to Cal State East Bay. The Puentistas are preparing to transfer to a four-year college and we hope they will seriously consider Cal State East Bay."

The mission of the Puente Project is not only to increase the number of educationally underserved and under-represented students who enroll and earn degrees in four-year colleges and universities, but to also increase the number of those who return to the community as leaders and mentors in service of succeeding generations. Puente is open to all interested students.

Both Cal State East Bay President Leroy M. Morishita and Chabot College President Susan Sperling will have welcoming remarks early in the program. Others addressing the audience will be Sandra Genera, Puente counselor-instructor; Kristin Land, Puente Einglish instructor; and Blanca Nunez and Erick Cortes, Chabot Puentistas. The keynote address will be given by Anali Villasenor, CSUEB nursing student and Chabot Puente alumna.

"This Puente breakfast and other community events held throughout the year are examples of the strong partnership that exists between Chabot, Cal State East Bay, Hayward Unified School District, the city of Hayward and the region," Morishita said. "Through these partnerships, we will continue to collaborate on iniatives that enrich the educational experiences and opportunities for the students in our region."

Information packets about Cal State East Bay will be provided to the Chabot College and Hayward area high school students who attend the breakfast. Following the breakfast program, a CSUEB campus tour and resource fair will be conducted.

-- Barry Zepel