A BRIDGE TO HEALTHCARE
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Over the last half decade, CFEP received two Johnson & Johnson Bridge to Employment (BTE) grants – three-year, $100,000 awards meant to increase the number of underserved students who enroll in college and who are interested in pursuing health careers.
The most recent award came in June 2020, and is a partnership between Valley High School in the Santa Ana Unified School District; High School Inc.; Johnson & Johnson and CFEP. Combined, the partners provide program activities in the fields of: Academic Enrichment; Career Exploration and Readiness; Higher Education Exploration and Preparation; Community Engagement and Leadership; and more. Activities include: transcript and interest/strengths assessment and analysis; hosting career readiness and foundational skills workshops; standardized test workshops; field trips and tours of college campuses, and community engagement events. |
A UCI professor works with students from Santa Ana High School in a UCI lab.
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“The BTE Program is a perfect example of the life-changing opportunities created for young people by bringing together K-12, the university, and our corporate partners,” said Dr. Stephanie Reyes-Tuccio, assistant vice chancellor, educational partnerships. “This program is unique because it exposes students to the wide range of careers in the field of health – far beyond the doctor, nurse or technician they might be familiar with – and connects them meaningfully with people working in these fields who can mentor and inspire them.”
”The Bridge to Employment program takes the best of all approaches in supporting a student to be college and career ready,” said Dr. Ashley Cheri, program director for CFEP’s Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP). “Through this collaboration, we are able to provide students early exposure to engineering- or health-related career options they may not have otherwise considered and to connect them with J & J coaches to help them throughout their high school journey.”
”The Bridge to Employment program takes the best of all approaches in supporting a student to be college and career ready,” said Dr. Ashley Cheri, program director for CFEP’s Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP). “Through this collaboration, we are able to provide students early exposure to engineering- or health-related career options they may not have otherwise considered and to connect them with J & J coaches to help them throughout their high school journey.”
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By the end of the grant’s completion in June 2023, partners expect 95 percent of participating BTE students to graduate from high school, 90 percent of BTE graduates to enroll in college, and 100 percent of BTE graduates to have an education and career plan that focuses on post-secondary education options.
In 2016, Johnson & Johnson awarded CFEP and Santa Ana High School a Bridge to Employment grant, CFEP’s first. When the grant was received, more than 90 percent of Santa Ana High School students were Hispanic, 93 percent qualified for free or reduced school lunches, and 36 percent were English language learners. The drop-out rate was 12 percent, and the school’s post-secondary enrollment rate was approximately 65 percent. Santa Ana High School BTE students were exposed to a swath of activities and experiences, including tutoring, academic advising, college field trips, financial aid training, higher education workshops, and mentor and career coaching. |
Students from Santa Ana High School are exposed to lab work through the Johnson & Johnson Bridge to Employment grant.
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Thirty students completed the BTE program at Santa Ana High School, and all 30 graduated from high school and were admitted to a postsecondary institution. By comparison, approximately 65 percent of Santa Ana High School’s general population reported acceptance to a postsecondary institution. Furthermore, 77 percent of BTE graduates reported interest in pursuing a Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Manufacturing and Design (STEM2D) or health-related discipline (versus 33 percent of comparison students).
“UCI was instrumental in planning and organizing Johnson and Johnson BTE activities for the Santa Ana High School cohort,” said Mary Lou Carrillo, higher education coordinator for Santa Ana Unified School District. “Santa Ana High School is a 3,000 student campus that benefited from the UCI staff members who worked on site to connect and support BTE students. Thanks to this partnership, many of these students are currently in college pursuing a STEM or health career.”
“UCI was instrumental in planning and organizing Johnson and Johnson BTE activities for the Santa Ana High School cohort,” said Mary Lou Carrillo, higher education coordinator for Santa Ana Unified School District. “Santa Ana High School is a 3,000 student campus that benefited from the UCI staff members who worked on site to connect and support BTE students. Thanks to this partnership, many of these students are currently in college pursuing a STEM or health career.”
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The Bridge To Employment program helped me, to a large extent, in obtaining a higher education path. I was able to witness various professions and academic opportunities I would not have experienced without this program, and received support from numerous mentors.
Participant, Santa Ana High School BTE Program, Student, UC Berkeley |
"The Bridge To Employment program helped me, to a large extent, in obtaining a higher education path,” said Sandra Barcenas, participant in the Santa Ana High School BTE program and current student at UC Berkeley. “I was able to witness various professions and academic opportunities I would not have experienced without this program, and received support from numerous mentors.”
According to a report authored by Johnson & Johnson, students appreciated college visits the most out of all BTE activities, as it provided a feel for campus life. Additionally, when asked what the most impactful aspects of BTE were, the most common response was preparation for higher education. In addition to the campus visits, students enjoyed workshops and discussions about college applications and financial aid. “For nearly 30 years, Johnson & Johnson’s Bridge to Employment (BTE) program has been partnering with leading educational institutions to prepare young people to achieve their dreams. In Southern California, the program’s success hinges on our partnership with the University of California, Irvine, whose leadership and commitment to support our high school student participants has been nothing short of inspiring,” said Christian Cuzick, CFO, Johnson & Johnson Vision and BTE Southern California Executive Sponsor. |
“Our Johnson & Johnson Vision employees volunteer their time and expertise to educate students on the potential career paths available to them, and UCI’s team makes the road to these careers tangible, with trainings, tutoring, college preparatory support, and a host of other invaluable resources,” Cuzick continued. “Our goal for next year will be to bring the students back after a year of working and learning remotely, to get some hands-on, onsite experience in the labs and workplace. We look forward to a long partnership with UCI as we invest together in the future of these students, and set them up for a lifetime of success.”
“This opportunity to collaborate across institutions and corporations for the betterment of students is a prime example of what educational institutions should be working toward,” Cheri said. “To bring a major corporation, university, K-12 school, and community organization together to provide high school students college preparation support, early career exposure, and professional coaching is what makes this program model truly unique, and is what makes a student both college and career ready.”
“This opportunity to collaborate across institutions and corporations for the betterment of students is a prime example of what educational institutions should be working toward,” Cheri said. “To bring a major corporation, university, K-12 school, and community organization together to provide high school students college preparation support, early career exposure, and professional coaching is what makes this program model truly unique, and is what makes a student both college and career ready.”
The preceding story is part of the "CFEP: 25 Years of Impact" series, honoring the people, programs and partnerships that have helped impact millions of students, teachers and families over the past quarter century. View the entire series here.
