The Puente Project is a national award-winning program that for more than 40 years has improved the college-going rate of tens of thousands of California's educationally underrepresented students. Its mission is to increase the number of educationally disadvantaged students who enroll in four-year colleges and universities, earn college degrees and return to the community as mentors and leaders to future generations. The program is interdisciplinary in approach, with writing, counseling and mentoring components.
Started in 1981 at Chabot Community College in Hayward, California, the program has since expanded to 4 middle schools, 38 high schools and 65 community colleges throughout the state. Puente staff train middle school, high school and community college instructors and counselors to implement a program of rigorous instruction, focused academic counseling, and mentoring by members of the community. Puente's staff training programs have benefited approximately 300,000 students across the state. Puente is open to all students.
The Puente Project is an inter-segmental program that is co-sponsored by the University of California and the California Community College Chancellor's Office. The Program headquarters are at UC Berkeley and site team partners — consisting of a instructor and counselor at each school/campus site — help to implement the program at middle schools, high schools and community colleges across the State.