RISE at Sacramento City College — known for providing academic guidance, support, and helping students find a sense of belonging — has just expanded into a new larger area at the Rodda Hall South building, ushering in a new era for one of the most community-driven programs on campus.
“We were busting out the seams and outgrew our space,” said Valerie Lockhart, RISE’s student support specialist. “It was the idea of having more space for our students to develop more programming. You can imagine how loud it gets in here, so we wanted a space where students could just ‘be’.”
The new extension, located in the old math lab, shows years of planning and advocacy. Lockhart said that RISE, which represents Respect, Integrity, Self-Determination, and Education, has moved several times around campus over the years since it was first established in spring of 1999 by two counselors, Keith Muraki and Juan LaChica, both wanting to increase students of color transfer to four-year colleges. The program has grown from a small office space to a resource center providing academic counseling, tutoring, a computer lab and an overall vibrant sense of community.
“It’s been a dream all along, and finally, all the stars aligned,” said Lockhart. “Luckily for us, we have a great administration that supported the expansion and advocated for the students here at RISE.”
The new expansion was made possible by funding provided by the college’s leadership group, which helped with technology upgrades, structural renovations and new furniture to provide a warm welcoming space for the program’s 500-plus students.
For a lot of students, RISE is more than just a resource for their academics, it’s a place of belonging.
Aracia Moreno, a business major, joined the program after being recruited one day during an event on campus. “It was my first year in college, and I felt iffy about the whole college thing,” she said. “I questioned myself about what I was doing here, and after joining RISE, it encouraged me to stay in college to try to figure out what I want to do and to find my passion.”
One thing that stands out at RISE is their “wall of fame” that mirrors former students who came through over the years and transferred to the campuses of their dreams. Moreno said seeing the “wall of fame” at the center inspired her to pursue her college education. “I kind of want to transfer to Sac State, but I also don’t want to stay in Sacramento forever,” she said. “I want to explore different environments,” and that is what RISE offers to students each semester: a tour to different colleges around the state, inspiring students to consider other colleges outside of Sacramento.
Lockhart, who is also an alumnus of RISE, said that connecting to the community is really what the program is all about. “I hope students take away that they have a place on campus that welcomes them, that has their support, especially in a climate where students need to feel seen and valued.”
Brenda Gutierrez, an English writing tutor at RISE, knows exactly how ever-changing support can be. She became a part of the program as a student employee, and one of the founders, Keith Muraki, encouraged her to take a tutoring class after finding out that Gutierrez was getting exceptional grades. “I didn’t really feel comfortable with the idea at first, but later I realized that I had patience with helping students on their writing assignments and realized that I really enjoyed it.”
Now, Gutierrez gets to assist students with their essays, research papers and help develop their writing structure. She believes RISE’s true strength is in the community it creates. “There is this expectation that we all need to have certain grades, but being able to enter RISE and be open about your struggles, and have others who can relate to you, that is one of the nice things about this program. There is constant support.”
In the meantime, for Moreno, having that support has made change for her. “I hope to stay with RISE to help stay grounded in my academics.”
RISE has an open-door policy and signs up about 500 students every semester. Some students come twice a semester, and others come in every day. The program is unique as it’s the only kind within the Los Rios Community College District. With its new expansion and growing community of students, RISE remains true to its name by assisting students not only to rise academically, but to find a place where they can find belonging.
