"The Guardian Scholars Program is committed to helping students exiting the foster care system by providing comprehensive support program to help you complete a GED, achieve an A.A. degree, complete a certificate program or transfer to a four year institution."
http://www.ccsf.edu/NEW/en/student-services/student-counseling/guardians-scholars-program.html
Guardian Scholars are CCSF students who have aged out of the Foster Care Services Program.
The Guardian Scholars program counsels, supports, and mentors these students toward achieving a successful CCSF college experience that results in completion of a GED, AA degree, Transfer, or a Certificate.
For more information contact:
Michael McParlin, Special Services Manager
416-239 3682
http://www.ccsf.edu/NEW/en/student-services/student-counseling/guardians-scholars-program.html
Photo Left:
Michael McPartlin, Special Services Manager
Carolbelle Thomas Moss, Media Specialist & Guardian Scholar Program
Guardian Scholars 2013 http://ccsfphotos.shutterfly.com/guardianscholars2013celebratio
Recognized for Accomplishments
As the academic year comes to a close, Guardian Scholars students continue to break new ground. This comes despite the continued cuts to programs that serve this population. It is a testament to the resiliency and persistence of students in this program that Guardian Scholars, who are alumni of Foster Care programs, are being recognized for their abilities and accomplishments.
For the first time, for example, a Guardian Scholar, Shanell Williams, has been elected as Associated Students (AS) President. Recipient of the prestigious Jefferson award in San Francisco, Ms. Williams has a strong background in community organizing and advocacy. She served as an AS Senator this past year - another first for Guardian Scholars.
Ten Chosen for Pilot Funding Project
At the start of the 2011/2012 school year, ten Guardian Scholars students were chosen for a $2,000 Scholarshare Investment account as part of an innovative pilot project by the State Treasury Board to identify much-needed college funding for foster youth alumni. The CCSF Guardian Scholars program was one of only two college programs chosen throughout the State for this opportunity--the goal being to identify public/private partnerships to address the major higher education funding gap that exists for these young adults.
To underscore the benefit of a resource such as this, four of the recipients will be transferring to universities come this fall. Michael McPartlin, Guardian Scholars program manager, commented on the impact of these kinds of collaborations.
“Leveraging limited public resources with private partners has opened doors for young men and women that were unthinkable a few years ago. The ability was always there to achieve on the part of these students. It is a question of being creative in challenging times to keep the door of education and opportunity open,” he said.
State Advocacy Group Now on Campus
CYC (California Youth Connection), a state-wide youth-led advocacy organization for transition age youth, has partnered with Guardian Scholars as of Spring 2012 to develop an on-campus presence, given the large number of foster youth alumni now at our College.
Four students, Ryan Garrett, Verenice Lopez, Michael Place, and Jacquinn Scales, volunteer as interns for CYC, bringing together youth from the County. Three of them won a scholarship to participate in civic responsibility training and leadership development in community-based internships as part of the Office of Mentoring and Service Learning’s Civic Engagement Initiative.
AB194-Priority Registration
Also in a year of “firsts”, the State legislature passed AB194 this past October directing all Community Colleges, California State Universities, and the University of California campuses to provide priority registration to emancipated foster youth effective January 2012. Thanks to the support of the CCSF Academic Senate, CCSF Guardian Scholars had already enjoyed priority registration access a full year prior to passage of this law.
Finally, for the first time since the Guardian Scholars program began in spring 2008, student graduates will march in Commencement this May 26. Not that there have been a lack of graduates in the last four and a half years in this program. In fact, over 60 Guardian Scholars students will have graduated, transferred to a university, or completed a career certificate by the end of this Spring Semester. More than half of these students have transferred on to universities.
The academic year 2011/2012 will, in fact, see the largest number yet, 30, to have realized an Associate’s Degree, certificate completion or university transfer. This increase follows a trend each year.
To cap a noteworthy year of recognition of Guardian Scholars students, one of the CCSF Commencement student speakers will be the graduating Lerone Matthis. He plans to transfer to one of the several University of California campuses which have admitted him. ^
Michael McPartlin
Special Services Manager
415 239 3682
mmcpartl@ccsf.edu
City Currents “An Online Newsletter for the City College Community
Issue May 16, 2012 Volume 27 Number 26 Pages 1 and 5
Fostering Higher Education
How City’s flagship program helps foster care alumni…
etc. magazine http://etc-magazine.com/2012/fostering-higher-education/