Our nation’s 250th anniversary is behind us and for many local parents, it’s time to start thinking about "back to school." But too many students in our county are getting left behind in their pursuit of higher education. More than half the students in our local public schools live below the poverty level. And first-generation college students are twice as likely to drop out of college.
That’s where Mission Scholars steps in. Since 2019, Mission Scholars has empowered high-achieving, low-income students to earn college degrees and gain professional employment. A two-year Women’s Fund grant of $150,000 will help launch the NextGen Leaders Initiative, providing 100 local students with 2,500 hours of one-on-one mentorship and career coaching, 15 to 20 high-impact workshops, targeted internship placements, and staff to manage the program.
With a seven-year commitment starting in tenth grade, Mission Scholars guides their students through high school, and the college prep, admissions, and financial aid process. During the challenging years of college, they provide intensive mentorship, as well as internship opportunities to ensure that students graduate and embark on productive careers.
About 90 percent of the Mission Scholars kids are low-income and Hispanic/Latino. And 95 percent are the first in their family to graduate from college. Today, Mission Scholars has 100 students in outstanding four-year colleges like Stanford, Brown, NYU, and most of the University of California campuses.
As Cassie Lancaster, Executive Director, says, “Thanks to the Women’s Fund for this investment. Seven years ago, we launched Mission Scholars for one simple reason: there is so much talent in our community—and far too often, that talent goes unseen. We find extraordinary young people who dream of being the first in their families to go to college, and we walk beside them every step of the way.”
Experience demonstrates that the program works. From the 2025 class of college graduates, more than 80% graduated in four years and 90% were employed or enrolled in further education within six months of graduation. And, 75% of these under-privileged students are graduating from college debt-free.
Our grant will help close the education gap for 100 kids from Goleta, Santa Barbara and Carpinteria. It will give them the tools and support to succeed academically and professionally, even perhaps to return home for a life-time of contributing to our community.
Like Alondra is doing. She is now pursuing a business degree at USC, and last summer worked as an Investment Management intern at Montecito Bank and Trust. Or like Valeria, a sophomore at U. C. Irvine, who said, “This program is tailored to my every need as a first-generation student and I am so grateful!”