Title V Puertas al Futuro
The Title V Puertas al Futuro (Doorways to the Future) Project is funded by a five-year grant from the Federal Department of Education and intends to strengthen Southwestern College by implementing research-based best practices to improve the performance of underprepared Latino students so they will stay in school and complete their educational goals whether achieving a two-year degree or transferring to a four-year institution. Most academic programs and services in this project are meant to support students in basic skills courses. A description of Title V Puertas al Futuro programs and services can be found below.
Innovative Programs
First Year Experience
This program is for new recent high school graduates with no previous college coursework. The program aims to reduce a student’s chances of dropping out of college and ensures that students are on the right path to success! Students are required to enroll in a Personal Development Course that provides resources such as priority registration for three semesters, a dedicated FYE college counselor, a College Success Team to include a peer and a faculty/staff mentor, access to free Power Study Program Tutors, information on accelerated courses and college success workshops and events.
PowerStudy Program (PSP) Tutoring
This program offers FREE in-class embedded tutors and out-of-class tutors for students enrolled in Basic Skills English/Writing, Reading and Math Courses.
More Information about the PowerStudy Program
ESL Success Project
This program offers a learning community, ESL Advocate, staff development for faculty and community building activities, success skills workshops and referrals to counseling and tutoring. The ESL Advocate is a catalyst to help students connect with college programs, services and courses so that student’s limited English language skills to not block their success.
Statway
The Math Department is working with the Carnegie Foundation to implement an accelerated course that teaches elementary algebra through introductory statistics in a two-course sequence. A student usually takes up to five courses to get from developmental math to college-level math in a regular non-accelerated course sequence.
Additional Academic & Student Support Services
Online Tutoring
Online tutoring provides students with the opportunity to access tutoring in math and other subjects at times that fit their schedules to include evenings and weekends.
School & Community Outreach
The college outreach program is strengthening its outreach efforts to its primary feeder high schools in the Sweetwater School District as well as to the Latino Community. A special effort will be made to conduct outreach activities for Latino and other under-represented males because we have learned that these students are achieving at a lower rate that the general student population.