Notable Alumni and Academic Profile of Rio Hondo College
Rio Hondo College, a public community college in Whittier, California, has been serving the local community since its establishment in 1960. Named after the Rio Hondo, the college primarily caters to the cities of Whittier, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, El Monte, and South El Monte. This article delves into the academic offerings, student demographics, costs, and notable alumni of Rio Hondo College, providing a comprehensive overview of the institution.
Academic Programs and Offerings
Rio Hondo College offers a variety of academic programs, including 30 associate degrees for transfer that guarantee transfer to California State Universities, 60 associate degrees, and 127 certificates. These programs are designed to provide students with a solid foundation for further education or entry into the workforce. The college distinguishes itself as the first community college in California to offer a bachelor's degree in Automotive Technology.
The college provides courses on-campus, online, and off-campus, catering to the diverse needs and schedules of its students. This flexibility allows students to pursue their education in a way that best suits their individual circumstances.
Majors and Degrees
Rio Hondo College grants associate and bachelor's degrees in various fields. The following table showcases the majors that lead to degrees at the college:
| Major | Associate | Bachelor |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences & Liberal Studies | 527 | |
| Business Administration and Management, General | 248 | |
| Psychology, General | 117 | |
| Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Administration | 112 | |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 111 | |
| Child Care Provider & Assistant | 101 | |
| Fire Prevention and Safety Technology & Technician | 84 | |
| Humanities & Humanistic Studies | 67 | |
| Sociology, General | 62 | |
| Registered Nursing & Registered Nurse | 46 | |
| Art & Art Studies, General | 42 | |
| Criminal Justice & Police Science | 37 | |
| Mathematics, General | 26 | |
| Automobile & Automotive Mechanics Technology & Technician | 10 | 12 |
| Social Sciences, General | 22 | |
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric | 22 | |
| Exercise Science and Kinesiology | 21 | |
| Political Science and Government, General | 21 | |
| Graphic Design | 19 | |
| Human Services, General | 19 | |
| Office Management and Supervision | 19 | |
| Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects | 17 | |
| History, General | 17 | |
| English Language and Literature, General | 16 | |
| Biology & Biological Sciences, General | 15 | |
| Physics, General | 15 | |
| Pre-Engineering | 14 | |
| Journalism | 13 | |
| Computer and Information Systems Security & Auditing & Information Assurance | 11 | |
| Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training | 10 | |
| Architectural Technology & Technician | 9 | |
| Computer Science | 9 | |
| Economics, General | 9 | |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 9 | |
| Alternative Fuel Vehicle Technology & Technician | 8 | |
| Drama and Dramatics & Theatre Arts, General | 8 | |
| Information Technology | 8 | |
| Accounting Technology & Technician and Bookkeeping | 7 | |
| Corrections | 7 | |
| Substance Abuse & Addiction Counseling | 7 | |
| Chemistry, General | 6 | |
| Hazardous Materials Management and Waste Technology & Technician | 6 | |
| Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management | 6 | |
| Philosophy | 6 | |
| Small Business Administration & Management | 6 | |
| Recording Arts Technology & Technician | 5 | |
| Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General | 5 | |
| Wildland & Forest Firefighting and Investigation | 5 | |
| Architectural Drafting and Architectural CAD & CADD | 4 | |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | 4 | |
| Drafting and Design Technology & Technician, General | 4 | |
| Ethnic Studies | 4 | |
| Music, General | 4 | |
| Spanish Language and Literature | 3 | |
| Electrical & Electronics Equipment Installation and Repair Technology & Technician, General | 2 | |
| Geographic Information Science and Cartography | 2 | |
| Hospitality Administration & Management, General | 2 | |
| Women's Studies | 2 | |
| American Sign Language (ASL) | 1 | |
| Anthropology, General | 1 | |
| Dance, General | 1 | |
| Energy Systems Technology & Technician | 1 | |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies, General | 1 | |
| International Business & Trade & Commerce | 1 | |
| Mass Communication & Media Studies | 1 | |
| Photography | 1 | |
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other | 1 | |
| Sign Language Interpretation and Translation | 1 | |
| Grand Total | 2,028 | 12 |
Admission and Enrollment
Rio Hondo College maintains an open admission policy, making higher education accessible to a wide range of students. The only requirement for admission is a certificate of attendance, a high school diploma, or a General Educational Development (GED) certificate.
Read also: Explore Jobs at Rio Hondo College
Enrollment Demographics
The college's student body is diverse, reflecting the demographics of the surrounding communities. As of a recent enrollment count, the breakdown by race or ethnicity is as follows:
- Hispanic: 12,384 (72%)
- White: 1,729 (10%)
- Race or Ethnicity unknown: 1,558 (9%)
- Asian: 917 (5%)
- Black or African American: 357 (2%)
- Two or more races: 167 (1%)
- Nonresident Alien: 29 (0.2%)
- Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander: 24 (0.1%)
- American Indian or Alaska Native: 16 (0.1%)
In terms of enrollment in distance education, 3,652 students enrolled in some distance education courses, while 4,670 enrolled exclusively in distance education.
Costs and Financial Aid
The cost of attendance at Rio Hondo College varies depending on individual circumstances such as household income, residency, and program of study. However, the college strives to make education affordable for all students.
Tuition and Fees
For undergraduates, the tuition for both in-district and in-state residents is $1,306. Out-of-state tuition is significantly higher at $9,802. Fees are consistent across all residency statuses, with an $82 charge.
Financial Aid
A significant portion of Rio Hondo College students receive financial aid. On average, students are awarded $5,492 in aid, and 84% of the student body receives some form of financial assistance.
Read also: Rio Hondo Prep Tuition Guide
Graduation Rate
Rio Hondo College has a graduation rate of 27%.
Publications and Citations
Rio Hondo College has made contributions to academic research, with 61 scientific papers published and 783 citations received. The research spans various fields, including Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Psychology, Sociology, Computer Science, Biology, Philosophy, Political Science, Law, Medicine, and Art & Design.
Publication and Citation Count by Topic
The following table shows publication and citation counts by topic:
| Topic | Publications | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | 46 | 607 |
| Psychology | 27 | 336 |
| Sociology | 27 | 213 |
| Computer Science | 26 | 419 |
| Biology | 26 | 574 |
| Philosophy | 26 | 281 |
| Political Science | 25 | 445 |
| Law | 25 | 445 |
| Medicine | 23 | 311 |
| Art & Design | 18 | 82 |
| Environmental Science | 17 | 364 |
| Engineering | 12 | 253 |
| Linguistics | 12 | 49 |
| Ecology | 11 | 358 |
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) | 11 | 144 |
| Education Majors | 11 | 62 |
| History | 11 | 25 |
| Chemistry | 10 | 237 |
| Neuroscience | 10 | 240 |
| Literature | 9 | 36 |
| Anthropology | 9 | 51 |
| Mathematics | 9 | 56 |
| Physics | 9 | 233 |
| Genetics | 9 | 83 |
| Psychiatry | 9 | 49 |
| Theology / Divinity / Religious studies | 8 | 20 |
| Geography and Cartography | 8 | 18 |
| Organic Chemistry | 8 | 231 |
| Fashion Design | 7 | 6 |
| Math Teachers | 7 | 53 |
| Biochemistry | 7 | 228 |
| Aesthetics | 6 | 28 |
| Social Psychology | 6 | 98 |
| Materials Science | 6 | 223 |
| Geology | 6 | 104 |
| Gender Studies | 5 | 30 |
| Business | 5 | 22 |
| Clinical Psychology | 5 | 162 |
| Art History | 5 | 5 |
| Archaeology | 5 | 11 |
Annual Publication and Citation Counts
| Year | Publications | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 0 | 15 |
| 1993 | 0 | 20 |
| 1994 | 0 | 16 |
| 1995 | 4 | 11 |
| 1996 | 1 | 15 |
| 1997 | 0 | 22 |
| 1998 | 0 | 15 |
| 1999 | 1 | 13 |
| 2000 | 0 | 24 |
| 2001 | 0 | 16 |
| 2002 | 0 | 15 |
| 2003 | 0 | 10 |
| 2004 | 1 | 11 |
| 2005 | 0 | 12 |
| 2006 | 0 | 39 |
| 2007 | 5 | 19 |
| 2008 | 0 | 24 |
| 2009 | 1 | 29 |
| 2010 | 0 | 36 |
| 2011 | 1 | 27 |
| 2012 | 1 | 19 |
| 2013 | 0 | 37 |
| 2014 | 0 | 21 |
| 2015 | 2 | 16 |
| 2016 | 4 | 20 |
| 2017 | 1 | 17 |
| 2018 | 3 | 27 |
| 2019 | 1 | 27 |
| 2020 | 2 | 29 |
| 2021 | 5 | 32 |
| 2022 | 4 | 28 |
| 2023 | 3 | 32 |
| 2024 | 1 | 17 |
Notable Alumni
Rio Hondo College has produced several notable alumni who have made significant contributions in their respective fields:
- Art Acevedo: An American police officer who has served as the chief of police in multiple major cities, including the Aurora Police Department, Austin Police Department, Houston Police Department, and Miami Police Department. Before becoming a police chief, he was a member of the California Highway Patrol.
- William John Cox: An American public interest lawyer and author.
- Evan Longoria: Nicknamed "Longo", is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, San Francisco Giants, and Arizona Diamondbacks.
- Gloria Molina: An American politician who served as a member of the Los Angeles City Council, the California State Assembly, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
- Lauren Tewes: An American actress best known for her role as Julie McCoy on the television series The Love Boat.
- Norma Torres: An American politician serving as a member of the United States House of Representatives for California's 35th congressional district. Previously, she was a member of the California State Senate representing the 32nd district.
Campus and Infrastructure
Rio Hondo College is located at 3600 Workman Mill Rd, Whittier, California, 90601-1616, United States. The college has continually invested in improving its campus and infrastructure to provide a conducive learning environment for its students.
Read also: Learn about Rio Hondo's ECE Program
All full-time students (students enrolled in 12 or more units in a semester) are eligible for a free bus pass for transport with the Norwalk Transit, Metro, Foothill Transit, Sunshine Shuttle and Montebello Bus Lines. Negotiations between the Rio Hondo College Board of Trustees created this programme as early as 2006, which was proposed by Gary Mendes, Governing Board Member and followed by staff member Dr.
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