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    COSER / Street Scholars

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    At Merritt College, the Street Scholars offers a peer-mentoring and student services support program focused on the overall success of formerly incarcerated and systems-impacted students. Street Scholars was designed with the input of the same students it endeavors to serve and ran by alumni that have benefited from its services. Street Scholars direct and facilitate our one-on-one and group mentoring processes, ensuring that formerly incarcerated and systems-impacted people are understood and supported throughout their reentry and reintegration, experience.

    Street Scholars serves people enrolled at Merritt College (or one of the other three Peralta Colleges) who have been impacted by systems either through their own police contact or due to a loved one’s ongoing involvement with the justice system and are facing challenges achieving long-term stability in their community. There is no minimum term or length of time that a person must have negative involvement with the justice system to get support.

    Street Scholars’ impact in the academic community goes beyond its role as mentors, role models, and academic support specialists to Merritt College’s formerly incarcerated and systems impacted students. Since 2012, Street Scholars has participated as guest lecturers and content experts on perception and implicit bias with USF’s Master of Public Health and Nursing Programs.

    Founded by the late COSER Professor Ron Moss, the Street Scholars continue to advocate for people who historically have been disregarded.

    Contact us

    Streetscholars@peralta.edu
    510-434-3700
    Schedule an appointment with our team

    For more info on our team

    Hours

    Monday 10am-6pm
    Tuesday 10am-6pm
    Wednesday 10am-6pm
    Thursday 10am - 6pm
    Friday APPOINTMENT ONLY

    Location

    12500 Campus Drive Oakland, CA 94619
    1st floor of the P Building in Room P-112

    Our Team

    Biancca

    Street Scholars Adult/Juvenile Program Program Director
    & COSER Faculty Lead

    Biancca Parazo mparazo@peralta.edu
    341-208-8070

    Professor B's Appointment Schedule Link

    Marlo

    Outreach and Transition Liaison

    COSER Faculty

    Marlo Ornelas Oneill

    mornelas@peralta.edu
    510-723-4229

    Biancca

    Peer Mentor

    Al-Pierre El
    510-467-9765

    RubenPeer Mentor

    Ruben Collins
    510-434-3700

     

    Alan

    Peer Mentor

    Alan Epps
    510-372-4403

    Thida

    Peer Mentor

    Thida Uk
    510-434-3700

    Country

    Peer Mentor

    Country Norton
    510-434-3700

    Our Services

    Our program is peer-led and focused on overall success for students who are justice or system impacted. These services include:

    • On-campus referrals to student services
    • Computer & Internet Access & Printing
    • School Supplies
    • Homework Space
    • Academic Tutoring
    • Peer Mentoring
    • Group & Individual Check-Ins
    • Clean & Sober Social Events
    • 12 Step Meetings
    • Hot Food, Snacks & Coffee
    • Employment Readiness workshops
    • Assistance with applying and transferring to a 4-year University
    • Connection to other Formerly Incarcerated/systems-impacted groups at 4-year Universities such as Underground Scholars and Project Rebound
    • Referrals to community-based organizations
    • Support with Record Expungement

    Job Opportunites, Internships, and Scholarships

     

    SAS NEEDS NOTE TAKERS!

    If you are interested in assisting and being paid a $100 Bookstore voucher, or have questions, please contact, Soledad Leung at sleung@peralta.edu or call (510) 436-2429. They will explain what to do.

    Please include the course number and instructor name in your message, for example: “COSER 22 Instructor Parazo”.

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    Internship opportunities coming soon

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