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‘Just One More’ campaign paying dividends
San Jacinto College North culinary arts students working together include, from left: Toni Garefalos (club vice president), Cosmo Guerrero, Cesar Tovar, and Kara Santana (club president). The North campus culinary club faculty advisor is Sean Perrodin, standing behind the students.
HOUSTON — San Jacinto College’s (SJC) “Just One More” campaign is starting to pay dividends, and the success stories of two North campus students serve as living proof.
As the start of the Spring term approached, classmates Cosmo Guerrero and Cesar Tovar planned to return to the North campus on their way to earning certificates of technology in culinary arts. But their plans seemed virtually impossible due to unforeseen financial setbacks.
“They cut back my hours at work and my paycheck kept getting smaller, and we had more expenses because our little baby was recently born,” commented Guerrero, a graduate of North Shore High School. “There was just no way I could get together enough money to continue my education at San Jac.”
Fellow culinary arts student Tovar, who also graduated from North Shore High School, faced a similar crisis. “My vehicle was damaged in an accident, which was not covered by insurance, and I was facing thousands of dollars in repair costs,” he remarked. “Like Cosmo, there was just no way for me to afford to return to college.”
When Sean Perrodin, who teaches culinary arts at the North campus, learned that the two students were on the verge of withdrawing from the College, he immediately thought of “Just One More,” a college-wide effort that encourages all employees to play an active role in student retention.
“The classes Cesar and Cosmo were taking were only offered this semester and would not be available until next spring,” commented Perrodin, who also serves as the faculty advisor for the North campus’ Culinary Arts Club. “I asked myself: ‘Do I just let these two students wait another year, or do I find a solution to their situation today?’ I recalled Dr. Brenda Hellyer (SJC chancellor) encouraging us to get involved in the ‘Just One More’ effort, to think of just one more way to help a student going through hard times.”
Perrodin talked to culinary club president Kara Santana and vice president Toni Garefalos about the situation. The officers took the matter to club members and the student-operated Culinary Arts Club decided to pitch in and pay tuition, fees and related expenses for the Spring term for Guerrero and Tovar. “We were able to help them because we had discretionary funds in our treasury due to various fundraising events,” commented Santana. The help enabled Tovar and Guerrero to enroll in time, and both students are thankful to be back in the swing of things as students at the North campus.
“Thank goodness my fellow students were there to help me out when I really needed them,” commented Guerrero, who hopes to transfer either to the University of Houston or to Rice University when he finishes at SJC.
“It was a blessing, a miracle,” Tovar said of the help he received from the Culinary Arts Club. “You don’t often hear about people helping others out like that. I was so appreciative.”
Santana said club members were glad to be able to help Tovar and Guerrero. “We knew that they both were close to graduating, but were going through hard times, and we felt like we just had to do something to help them,” she said. “Sometimes the club’s treasury is small, but it so happened that some of our recent fundraisers were more profitable, so the money was there and we were glad to help students who were really trying and who were so close to finishing.”
Santana said helping someone in need brings rewards better than money. “It felt so great to do this for these guys,” she remarked. “And I believe it will come back tenfold for those who helped out.”
Perrodin is especially proud of the students’ willingness to help other students. “It’s a perfect example of ‘Just One More’ in action: enrolled, retained, graduated,” he remarked. “I told club members: ‘This is the reason why you should live your life to the fullest. The littlest thing you do for others is the greatest gift anyone can receive. Thanks for making a difference.’”
“Just One More,” which kicked off in the Fall 2009 term, is a part of San Jacinto College’s participation in Achieving the Dream, a national initiative geared toward helping student groups that have traditionally faced significant barriers to success, including minority students and low-income students.
San Jacinto College serves more than 27,000 students in over 140 degrees and certificates in university transfer and technical programs. The College also serves the community through workforce training. Students come to San Jacinto College with various goals and aspirations and we are committed to their success. San Jacinto College. Your Goals. Your College.
For more information about San Jacinto College, please call 281-998-6150 or visit www.sanjac.edu.
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