In the heart of the California desert, a small college is making big waves in the world of higher education and second chances. Palo Verde College (PVC), long recognized for its service to incarcerated students, has been awarded the largest Rising Scholars Network grant in the state, receiving over $1 million in total funding for the 2025–2028 cycle.  

While more than 100 community colleges were awarded funding, PVC’s annual allocation of $348,836 puts it at the top of the list. The size of the award reflects both the college’s proven impact and its forward-looking plan to expand support for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students across Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.  

“This is about building a pipeline from the cell block to the college quad,” said Clint Cowden, Vice President of Instruction and Student Services at Palo Verde College. “We’re not just offering classes. We’re offering belonging, mentorship, pathways to employment, and a second chance at life.” 

A Holistic Model for Reentry and Reintegration 

PVC is transitioning from a traditional B1 designation (serving students inside prisons or jails) to a more comprehensive B3 model, which encompasses justice-impacted students both during and after incarceration. Beginning in Fall 2025, the college will offer in-person and online support to formerly incarcerated students, including services such as peer mentorship, targeted counseling, and workforce training in career fields that provide upward mobility.  

Central to this effort is the establishment of a new Rising Scholars office and meeting space on campus. The facility will provide private areas for advising and workshops, as well as communal space designed to build community and foster a sense of belonging. Faculty will also receive training in trauma-informed teaching strategies.  

“We are redefining our processes for supporting justice-impacted students from the ground up,” said Dr. Sam Robinson, Dean of Instruction. “We are expanding our use of technology to deliver classes and ensuring students are on pathways that lead to transferable degrees.”  

Robinson noted the PVC Rising Scholars team is focused on supporting students throughout their educational journey, which will now include services after a student re-enters society.  

Meeting Students Where They Are 

PVC’s plan goes beyond facilities and staffing. A significant portion of the grant will fund course materials, textbooks, and supplies to ensure that students, regardless of their circumstances, are ready to learn on day one. Outreach is also underway to build partnerships with public defenders, parole offices, juvenile justice systems, and local jails, expanding the college’s reach into critical points of transition.  

The college aims to strengthen academic pathways by aligning with the new California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) and Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) systems, helping students avoid unnecessary units and progress more efficiently toward graduation. Meanwhile, short-term workforce training programs are being expanded to prepare students for careers with meaningful wages and employer demand. 

According to Sarah Frid, Palo Verde College’s Academic Senate President, “As a result of this grant renewal, with higher funding than we’ve seen in the past, the Academic Senate is in a primed position to be able to address unique student and faculty needs more acutely. We will be able to dig deeper to understand the unique challenges of these ecosystems, building realistic and poignant student-centered strategies and outcomes. We aim to strengthen our partnership with CDCR and establish new relationships with post-carceral agencies to facilitate academic and student services programs that foster belonging and respect the meaningful life experiences of those who have been justice-impacted.”

Statewide Recognition for Student Success 

This latest Rising Scholars grant builds on a year of statewide recognition for Palo Verde College. In July 2024, PVC received the Dr. John W. Rice Student Success Award, one of the highest honors in the California Community Colleges system. The award acknowledged the college’s leadership in serving over 3,000 incarcerated students across California and its efforts to improve student outcomes through stronger teaching practices, expanded online learning, and targeted student support.  

PVC was commended for its hands-on work with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, its faculty training in new instructional methods, and its focus on removing barriers that prevent students from progressing. The college has seen significant gains in completion rates for transfer-level English and math, along with stronger pathways for transfer and career advancement.  

Together, the Rice Award and the Rising Scholars grant highlight PVC’s commitment to supporting more students in achieving success, regardless of their background, location, or life circumstances. 

Building a Stronger Future, One Student at a Time 

To guide its efforts, PVC will implement new data systems to track student progress, improve services, and protect student privacy. These tools will allow the college to identify gaps, monitor course success, and fine-tune its approach to serving justice-impacted learners.  

The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, in a July 2025 memo, acknowledged the scale of the challenge and commended all participating colleges for their dedication. With over 20,000 justice-involved students currently serving statewide, programs like PVCs are increasingly seen as central to the mission of California’s public higher education system. 

According to Superintendent/President Dr. Bruce Moses, “The Rising Scholars Program reflects Palo Verde College’s unwavering commitment to educational equity and second chances. It directly supports our mission to serve all learners, especially those historically underserved or system-impacted by removing barriers and expanding access to opportunity. This program not only transforms lives; it strengthens families and communities. It aligns with my presidential goals of fostering inclusive excellence and building sustainable regional partnerships that support long-term student success far beyond the classroom. Rising Scholars is more than a program—it’s a promise that every student, no matter their past, deserves a pathway to a better future.”  

For Cowden, the work remains deeply rooted in action.  

“These students don’t need pity. They need opportunity, accountability, and a seat at the table,” he said. “But just as important, they need to know we care enough to keep raising the bar—academically, professionally, and personally. Rising Scholars isn’t about lowering expectations. It’s about uplifting the community.”  

To learn more about the Rising Scholars Program at Palo Verde College, please email RisingScholars@paloverde.edu.