For a decade, Western Nevada College has provided a cohort for Latino students on the Carson campus. This fall, the Fallon campus presented its inaugural cohort of the Latino Leadership Academy, under the direction of Lupe Ramirez, coordinator of Latino Outreach at WNC.

Ramirez said that WNC recognized it was not serving rural areas like it should be, so Ramirez reached out to Churchill County School District Superintendent Summer Stephens and Churchill County High School Principal Scott Winter to see if WNC could do more to support Latino students in making the transition from high school to college. Ramirez noted that shes developed a wonderful collaboration with the high school.

The goal of the academy is to help Latino students graduate on time from WNC, which means completing 15 credit hours per semester for four semesters. Nationally, Latinos fall 10 percentage points behind their white counterparts in graduating from college.

Ramirez met with interested CCHS seniors to tell them what the program could offer and what the academy would require of them. A parent information night also helped parents understand what the program was and what support it could offer.

Ramirez also met individually with each prospective student and his or her parents to explain the academy, how it works and to answer any questions they had.

We work with the family, which is critical, explained Ramirez.

The support Ramirez provides is like a one-stop shop for the new students. Ramirez guided the students through the admissions, financial aid and counseling process.

Because theyre first-generation students, they dont know what to do and what to ask for, Ramirez said. Theyre coming into a completely different world and they dont know how to navigate. Were here to support them through the process. We establish a sense of trust.

The support for the new students continues beyond the initial application and registration process. The students are placed in a cohort where they take many of their classes together. This cohort model allows the students the opportunity to support one another and engage with their peers who are experiencing many of the same challenges.

The students are also supported by a cohort coach who is a WNC Latino student who has completed two semesters at the college and earned a B or better in English 101 and Math 126. The coach must be someone who understands the challenges the new students face and who can relate to them.

The cohort coach for the Fallon campus academy is Lupe De Santiago.

Lupe is super proactive in helping the students get the support that they need, Ramirez said. Individual support is what they rely on heavily.

De Santiago explained, As a coach, I follow students, take notes in their classes and help them find resources, and I also help them learn how to connect with their instructors. Its a relief for students to learn the shortcuts and resources.

As a first-generation college student, De Santiago understands the hurdles the new students face, so she does what she can to help them avoid the pitfalls that she encountered as a first-semester student.

I was terrified of being responsible for others grades as well as my own, but I thought of how I felt when I first started, so I wanted to be there for them with all the challenges theyd face, especially with COVID, De Santiago said. I wish Id had it to keep me on track my first semester.

De Santiago said that she meets with the cohort twice a week. At the beginning of the semester, they could meet in person, but with the new, stricter restrictions set by the state, they now meet together on an online platform. De Santiago checks their grades, answers questions about course material and helps them find online academic tutoring and support. She also encourages study groups and helps them apply for scholarships.

The cohort has provided the students in Fallon with more confidence in their coursework and better understanding of how to manage their time, according to De Santiago.

Holly OToole, WNCs Fallon Campus and Rural Outreach director, is excited about the program and what it can offer Latino students as they attend WNC.

I love these students, OToole said. They become generational life-changers. They help break the poverty cycle and once they start college, their family members start coming, too.

If there are any Latino students who are interested in the academy, they can contact Lupe Ramirez at 775-445-3215.