Enrollment in Allan Hancock College’s new classes in Guadalupe more than doubled in just one week, as word quickly spread about the chance to earn college credit closer to home.
The community college partnered with the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District to offer classes in Guadalupe, allowing local high school students the opportunity to earn college credit through in-person classes at the Guadalupe Senior Center. Hancock Dean of Student Services Yvonne Teniente noticed that students from Guadalupe often struggled with transportation, making it difficult for them to get to and from classes on Hancock’s campus after school.
“Our mission is to ensure that all students have access to our courses, to our services, and all modalities, whether it be online or in person,” Teniente said. “I think the missing piece was Guadalupe.”
With this mission in mind, the college worked with the city to ensure that all students had access to free bus passes. In the first two weeks of instruction, Teniente noted that the program received positive feedback from local families.
“The parents are like, ‘Wow, we’ve lived here all our lives, and this is something we’ve never seen; thank you very much,’” Teniente said.
The idea to bring classes to Guadalupe started at a summer retreat, where members of the college’s management team were tasked with devising a project to improve the college. According to Teniente, the team decided that they should offer more accessible services to community members in Guadalupe.
“Wouldn’t it be great to not only provide courses but to provide a center where students are able to come in and receive mentorship, tutoring, and a study space?” she said.
Teniente explained that one of the first people to volunteer to teach a class in Guadalupe was Jennifer Schroeder, professor of communication studies. Schroeder said that the first two weeks of class have been exciting, adding that “it’s nice to be able to provide this opportunity for students.”
“These students are starting early,” Schroeder said. “They don’t have to be there, but they’re passionate about their education.”
After collaborating with local high schools to see what classes they felt were important and determining which professors were available to teach, the community college decided to offer Communication Studies 101: Introduction to Public Speaking, and Psychology 101: Introduction to Psychology. Schroeder, who teaches the course on public speaking, believes that the class is essential for students in their early college careers.
“It really helps them develop the skills and confidence that they’ll need to succeed throughout their college journey,” Schroeder explained.
The Guadalupe initiative is an expansion of the school’s already established College Now program, which allows local high schoolers to take college-level classes on Hancock’s campus. According to Teniente, the new branch of the program aims to limit the barriers to higher education so that all students have a pathway to follow.
“My hope is that every student knows that they are able to go to college and that they are more than capable of passing these courses and continuing on to get whatever degree,” she said. “My hope is that they feel that they’re valued, that they have met some great role models, and that they work with each other to make it to their goals.”
After seeing the traction the two classes gained in just one week, Teniente is optimistic that they will be able to expand the program to offer more classes and potentially provide an opportunity to earn a degree.
“I think we’re going in the right direction, but we definitely have to see what the needs are of the community and what we can offer,” she said. “We’re ready. We definitely got the staff. We got the people who really want to make this happen.”
The application for the spring 2025 term closes on March 14. For more information on the College Now program, visit hancockcollege.edu/admissions/college-now.php.
Highlight
• The Lompoc Family YMCA recently launched its 2025 annual campaign with a fundraising goal of $110,000 to support community outreach, financial assistance, and program access. Leticia Leon, a board member, will chair this year’s campaign. In a statement from the organization, she said that the YMCA has made a positive impact on her family, making her excited to give back. Donations can be made to the Lompoc Family YMCA in person or over the phone at (805) 736-3483. For more information, visit ciymca.org.
Staff writer Emma Montalbano can be reached at emontalbano@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Feb 6-16, 2025.