Noncredit Program Success Fund
Submitted By: Scott Silverman
Santa Monica Regional Consortium for Adult Education
Website: https://www.smc.edu/noncredit
Type of Practice: Learner Transition
Program Area(s): ABE / ASE, ESL / EL Civics / Citizenship, CTE / Workforce Prep / Pre-apprenticeship
Region: Los Angeles Basin
Consortia Involved: Santa Monica Regional Consortium for Adult Education
The Program of Practice
Santa Monica College needed to solve several problems:
1) For some CTE programs, the materials cost was prohibitive for many students to engage
2) We needed some unrestricted funds to allow for student participation incentives and other uses that were outside of the scope of traditional funding sources
3) pressure facing department chairs to maximize the efficiency of their Weekly TeachingHours allotment - that we believe will persist - making it a struggle to get the number of Noncredit classes we feel our students deserve and require to meet demand.
The Response
The Noncredit Program Student Success Fund is designed to support the Noncredit programs students are enrolled in at SMC. SMC Noncredit serves an extremely diverse population of adult learners representing many underserved minority groups, immigrant populations, students of all ages, and there are over 21 different languages as primary language at home represented by our students. There are about 25 Noncredit certificate programs currently offered at SMC, including ESL and short-term vocational programs that lead to livable wage jobs. (https://www.smc.edu/academics/noncredit/)
Your support will help Noncredit provide increased opportunities for students, including, but not limited to:
Supplemental instructional opportunities
Student support services
Course materials that would otherwise require an out-of-pocket cost
Events such as the Noncredit Graduation Ceremony, student celebrations and events
Incentives, prizes
And more
While the fund is still in it's infancy, experience we have seen from a sister fundraising effort for our Emeritus program on campus indicates that what may be small individual gifts now will turn into more sizeable gifts, even estate gifts, in the future. This is an amazing opportunity, both for supporting current needs, and cultivating future growth capacity - and could only have happened due to the inspiration (see below), and the dedication of our Noncredit team at SMC.
The inspiration for this fund to be created is in honor of Rogelio Castillo, a man whose passion for learning, kindness, and generosity touched everyone he met. Rogelio was the true embodiment of a lifelong learner. Whether it was taking English as a Second Language classes, advancing from beginner to advanced levels with determination, or diving deep into the world of homeopathic medicine and herbalism, Rogelio’s thirst for knowledge was unrelenting. He was always seeking to learn something new, and his curiosity was inspiring.
As an entrepreneur, Rogelio found success as the owner of a textile business in downtown Los Angeles, but even after retiring, he never stopped pursuing his passions. His love for cooking became a cherished part of his life. Many of us were lucky enough to experience his generosity firsthand, as he would often surprise the office staff with breakfasts and lunches made from scratch. His culinary creations as warm and thoughtful as his heart.
Rogelio’s roots were in Guadalajara, Mexico, and his stories of his journey and experiences were always captivating. He had an incredible way of making everyone feel welcome and appreciated. His visits to the office before his classes always brought smiles, as we knew we would be greeted by his laughter, care, and thoughtful presence.
Rogelio’s legacy is one of resilience, compassion, and a deep love for life and learning. He touched so many of us with his wisdom, humor, and kindness, and his memory will forever live on. He was the true embodiment of the same values and goals many of our students are seeking – always learn, always grow, and advance your career and life.
https://foundation.smc.edu/areas-to-support/noncredit-success-fund.php
The Unique Features of the Program
This is the first Foundation gift of its kind at Santa Monica College, with Noncredit students at its core. It may be one of likely very few, if not the first, of it's kind in the CCC system, to focus on Noncredit students, and in helping build capacity for SMC Noncredit, when even District funding may otherwise limit Noncredit growth.
The Outcome
While there may not be outcomes/data to address this yet....we have leveraged a few gifts and a local grant from a partnering agency to add a section of a class to accommodate student demand when we otherwise would not have had that flexibility.