1. The Social Capital Student-Empowerment Project
Summer Bridge, Cal Poly Pomona
Ricardo D. Stanton-Salazar, Ph.D.
July 7, 2016

2. “Success”: as an undergraduate,
and in your career
The “Myth” (La “Gran Mentira:”) Success is an individual
matter. Dominate culture celebrates independence, self-
reliance, self-sufficiency, self-interest, self-determination,
natural talent, intelligence, self-motivation, effort, and luck.
TRUTH: “Success is social”: It depends on our relationships
with many people (those with knowledge, with influence, with
status, with power—those who will open doors for us, because
the have come to know us, they respect us, and they believe in
us).

3. The People I Know on Campus

4. My Social Support Network

5. Stopping Out / Dropping Out
of Community College
39 percent who enroll in a community college, and who finish
in 6 years
Among Latino/a students who began at a community college,
six semesters later, just 9 percent had reach the criteria
(e.g., academic course requirements) necessary to transfer
to a 4-year institution

6. Albert brings me to UCSD to meet his
friends AND the EOP Director (he “connects”
me)

7. One Visit to One Professor at
UCSD

8. 1990, Ph.D. & Looking for a Job

9. Assistant Professor, Department of
Sociology, UCSD: 1990-2000
Career Success: “A Dream,” work hard,
perseverance + “Social Capital” (i.e., the
help of people who believe in you.)

10. Reasons why “social networks” are
important to students graduating with a B.A.,
or B.S.
80% or more of all jobs are obtained through
“networking”; relationships to “key people” who
want you to succeed:
• College graduates
• Executives in the corporate world
• Ph.D. graduates looking for their first job
Social Networks: Newly arrived immigrants looking
for their first job (ASAP)

11. Social Capital = EMPOWERMENT
Goal (e.g., Deciding on an undergraduate Major)
Need (Information -> “knowledge,” advice, guidance over a
time period)
(1) someone behind a desk who you barely know?? (vs.)
(2) a Summer Bridge counselor who knows you well and
who you trust (confianza)
SOCIAL CAPITAL = resources available to you through a
relationship with an “institutional agent” who is
committed to supporting you.

12. “institutional agents”
(1) University education (B.A., MA, Ed.D.)
(2) Important position or office within university
(3) Possesses “resources” (knowledge expertise)
(4) Knows key people who also possess “resources”
(5) Has “influence” on campus
(6) Cares about students

13. “institutional agents”
EOP/Summer Bridge (Cal Poly Pomona)
(1)Ms. Norma León
(2)Ms. Leticia Guzmán Scott, MBA
(Executive Director, EOP)
(3) Ms. Sara I. Gamez, M.S.
(Associate Director, EOP
(4) Summer Bridge Advisor

14. Student Support Network: Small
Fall, 2016
Cal Poly Pomona

15. Student Support Network: Large &
Diverse
May, 2017
Cal Poly Pomona

16. Targeting: Ready, Aim, “Fire”
Who are the people on campus you want to build
relationships with (?) Fall, 2016:
A. Professors: ____________________
B. EOP/SB Staff: _________________
C. Graduate Students: _____________
D. Department Office Staff: ________________
E. Student Leaders: _______________
F. Peers Who will Support You: ____________
Diversify: Women, men, …Latino/a, White, Jewish,
Black, Asian, etc., …all ages

17. Wishing you the very best!!
My Website: www.stanton-salazar.com
Email: rstantonsalazar@icloud.com
Google Scholar: Stanton-Salazar