
La Experiencia (The Raíces Experience)
When you join Raices, you join our familia 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
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.
Cultura
(Culture)
Cultivate a sense of pride being Latiné and understanding, celebrating, and connecting with our cultura, raíces and ancestral knowledge.• Cultural Events: Art of Being Speaker Series, Latine Poetry Series• Latiné Keynote Speakers• Cultural Site Visits• Servicios en tu idioma |
Conocimiento
(Knowledge)
Co-Create opportunities for students to develop and achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals.• Raíces Courses and learning colectiva• ¿Que Pasa SBCC? College Workshops• Estrellas Career Development Workshops and Professional Panels• Leadership Opportunities |
Comunidad
(Community)
Develop a sense of support and community.• Peer Advocates• La Plazita: Study Space, Professor Student Hours, Walk-in Advising and Counseling• Community Events: Bienvenida, Unity March, Reventón• Family and friends welcomed at 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.
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- 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.
Connect with Us

Visit Us
Our student center is located in the West Campus Center, Room 206 and 207.

Summer 2025 Hours
8:30 am-4:30 pm (Monday to Thursday) and 8:30 am-1 pm (Fridays)

Contact Us
We are available at raices@sbcc.edu or (805) 730-5135. Follow us on Instagram (@raicessbcc).

Events
For the full calendar of our community events, visit the link below.
Raíces (Home) | Staff (Familia) | Courses (Cursos) | Learning Colectiva | Faculty (Facultad) |