Raíces - Our Program / Nuestro Programa - Santa Barbara City College

¿Quiénes somos? (Who are we?)

When you join Raices, you join our community of counselors, advisors, faculty, and fellow Raices scholars who will support you in the creation of your unique academic journey.

Our Origin (Nuestro Origen)

¡Raíces: First Year and Beyond! was developed by a $3 million Title V HSI Grant awarded to SBCC in October 2021 by the U.S. Department of Education. SBCC was first recognized as an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in March 2011. HSIs are degree-granting colleges or universities whose student population is 25% or more Hispanic.

As of Fall 2024, SBCC serves 42.4% students who identify as Hispanic. These funds are meant to support the development of specific projects to increase degree or certificate completion for Latine and/or low-income student populations.

Learn more about our origin

HSI Servingness Latine Term Raíces Logo Design Our Community of Practice

Our Mission (Nuestra Misión)

¡Raíces: First Year and Beyond! celebrates our indigenous roots as the foundation of our cultural, familial and academic wealth. We commit to provide opportunities to learn from and honor this knowledge in order to manifest a deeper understanding of our community and our shared sense of identity. Through developing curriculum and a pedagogy that affirms student voice, lived experiences and cultural histories, this program strives to co-create a space with students to become thriving scholars and advocates for themselves and their communities.

Our Vision(Nuestra Visión)

Through Cultura (Culture), Conocimiento (Knowledge), and Comunidad (Community), ¡Raices First Year and Beyond! strives to cultivate thriving scholars and advocates for our community. Our program affirms Latiné cultural identities, honors our ancestral roots, and celebrates our multilingual, multiracial, and multigenerational heritage.

Culture (Cultura)

Cultivate a sense of pride by celebrating and connecting to your culture.

Cultural Events
Guest Speakers
Bilingual Services

Conocimiento (Knowledge)

Develop and achieve academic, professional, and personal goals.

Raíces Courses
College Workshops
Leadership Opportunities

Comunidad (Community)

Develop a sense of support and community.

Peer Advocates
Study Space
Community Events

Frequently Asked Questions (about Raíces)

Raíces offers the following support and services:

Raíces Courses and Faculty
Academic Counseling (Education Plan, Major Exploration)
Network of Raíces Scholars
College Advising
Peer Advocacy
Class Registration and Time Management Meetings
Study Space (Free Printing, Free School Supplies)
College, Cultural, Career, and Community Events

Our program does not have qualifications, requirements, or an application process. We only ask that you commit to the following to be fully engaged in Raíces and to meet with one of our advisors to complete a Raíces orientation.

- Enroll in Raíces course(s) every semester if they follow your education plan.
- Attend Raíces events every semester.
- Meet with a Raíces academic counselor or a Raíces advisor every semester.

Our program at SBCC that centers Latiné students by celebrating Cultura, Conocimiento y Comunidad. However, students do not need to identify as Latino/Latina/Latinx/Latiné/Chicano/Chicana/Chicanx/Hispanic to join or participate. Some of our events will have Spanish words as event titles, but students do not need to speak Spanish to join or participate.