The GUARDIAN SCHOLARS Office is OPEN and providing in-person services. We will also continue to provide counseling appointments/services remotely through phone calls and/or Zoom video conferencing.
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 students 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. (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 availability from the John Burton Book Fund and Pritzker Foster Care Initiative
- Emergency Funding * based eligibility and funding availability from Pritzker Foster Care Initiative
- College success supplies
- Food/Grocery E-Gift Cards
- Alumni Success Coaches/Mentoring
- 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)
Click here for the Guardian Scholars Next Steps/Checklist for program eligibility
SUMMER 2023
Summer 2023 10 week session: June 6 – August 12, 2023
*Additional 5, 6, 8 week sessions are available*
How to Schedule your Guardian Scholars Contact/Appointment
Online:
- Log into your Access Rio Portal
- Go to your “Academic” Tab
- Scroll down and Click on “Guardian Scholars Make an Appointment Here” or simply click on image below to take you directly to the Access Rio Portal log in page
*Please note appointments scheduled online will be via zoom. To schedule an in-person appointment, please call (562) 908-3435*
Phone:
Call our office at (562) 908-3435
E-mail: guardianscholars@riohondo.edu
In Person:
Location: Student Services Building 3rd Floor Room SS307
Summer 2023 Semester Office Hours:
-
- Monday – Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Fridays – 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
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., GS Counselor at (562) 463-7472 or via email msaenz@riohondo.edu in the Guardian Scholars Program Room SS307
Dominique Romero, M.S., GS Counselor at (562)908-3435 or via email dromero@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
