GUARDIAN SCHOLARS
Office Location:
Student Services Building
3rd Floor Room SS307
The Guardian Scholars Program, is a comprehensive student services program dedicated to providing services and support that meet the personal and academic needs of students, who are or were in foster care, to successfully transition into adulthood, obtain a degree/certificate and/or transfer to a four-year university.
Through the Guardian Scholars Program, the following services are offered to eligible students up to the age of 26 who are or were in foster care:
- Priority Registration (if eligible) In order for Rio Hondo College to verify your eligibility you need to provide documentation such as a Ward of the Court Letter or other Court documentation verifying your foster care status to the Guardian Scholars Office located in the Student Services Building 3rd floor SS307. (Click here to direct you to references where you may request a Ward of the Court Verification if you do not have any form of documentation.)
- Counseling Services
- One-to-One assistance & support
- Textbook assistance* based eligibility and funding from the John Burton Book Fund, Echoes of Hope, and Pritzker Foster Care Initiative
- Emergency Funding *
- College success supplies
- Rio Cafe Meal Vouchers
- Partnerships with other on & off campus services/referrals
- Academic/Life Skills Workshops (YESS)/Conferences/Field trips
- New Student Orientation
- On campus access/referrals to Transitional Resource Coordinators for (ILP County Services & Benefits) such as Housing, Educational Expenses, clothing allowance, transportation, Medi-Cal, etc. (List of Coordinators available under Youth/Student Resources section)
- Access to a snack pantry & computers/printer
SUMMER 2019
Guardian Scholars Office & Counseling Hours
Summer Semester: June 4 – August 10, 2019
*various sessions available
FALL 2019
Fall Semester: Full term August 17 – December 9, 2019
PRIORITY REGISTRATION DATE: JULY 8, 2019
CONTACT THE GUARDIAN SCHOLARS OFFICE @ (562) 463-7472 for more information regarding priority registration and eligibility
The California Community Colleges established the Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI) to assist foster youth in accessing and successfully completing college.
The goals of this initiative are to improve:
- Access to student services and resources
- Access to academic support
- Retention
- Academic performance
- Completion of units
- Completion of programs and degree
- Transfer rates to baccalaureate
The FYSI Liaisons @ Rio Hondo College are committed to supporting foster youth through their educational journey. For questions and assistance, please contact:
Marisela Saenz, M.S., Counselor/Coordinator at (562) 463-7472 or via email msaenz@riohondo.edu in the Guardian Scholars Program Room SS307
Deborah V. Lopez, M.Ed., FKCE/YESS Program Specialist at (562) 463-3756 or via email dvlopez@riohondo.edu in the FKCE/Guardian Scholars Program Room SS307
Michelle Casas, Senior Financial Aid Advisor at (562) 463-3365 or via email mcasas@riohondo.edu in the Financial Aid Office Room SS130
