Jose Sanchez
UC Berkeley
"My family came from Mexico in 1993 when I was only three. I arrived in the Mission district a shadow of a boy who faded to the background. I learned at a young age that my family had high hopes for me when my mother made me read many English books even though she knew no English herself. There is poverty here and Latinos are not going to college after they graduate and many don't even graduate from high school. Seeing my fellow classmates drop out makes me want to go to college because I want to be successful."
Press Releases
Meritus College Fund Awards $552,000 to Low-Income San Francisco Public High School Graduates at its 15th Annual Awards Ceremony on June 2 in USF's Presentation Theater
San Francisco – June 2, 2011– Meritus College Fund, a San Francisco-based grassroots nonprofit college access and persistence organization, is awarding 46 scholarships representing a total of $552,000 that will help fund its newest class of Scholars. Recipients will be introduced at its 15th annual Awards Ceremony on Thursday, June 2, at 6 p.m. in the University of San Francisco’s Presentation Theater. The Scholars, representing 14 San Francisco public high schools, will be formally acknowledged of their selection as Meritus Scholars in a celebratory event for friends, family, educators, and donors.
Kate Kelly, CBS 5 Featured Reporter, will Emcee the event. Among other guest speakers, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom has prepared a virtual message for the students in honor of their achievements in this milestone year. First Republic Bank and Zephyr Real Estate are the event sponsors.
In addition to awarding a $12,000 scholarship to each recipient, Meritus coaches and mentors its Scholars to help them stay on track and complete college successfully. Meritus believes that financial assistance combined with individualized support comprise two important components to helping students achieve their educational goals. Meritus Scholars have an 87 percent completion rate.
“Low-income and first-generation students face adverse challenges at all phases of college access through graduation,” says Diana Wolf, Executive Director of Meritus. “National figures show that nearly one quarter (23 percent) of first-generation students, compared to 10 percent of their peers with college-educated parents, drop out between their first and second years. As we couple scholarship aid with coaching and mentoring, we are giving our Scholars a fighting chance at success."
Graduating high school seniors who are selected as Meritus Scholars have demonstrated significant financial need, are typically the first in their families to attend college, and come from exceptional circumstances marked by poverty, language barriers, societal tensions, violence, and family distress. Scholars must have a grade point average between 3.0 and 3.7 to be eligible for the program. Meritus College Fund has targeted this population in particular because these students are often overlooked for merit-based awards by other institutions, both private and public, and can benefit from the extra support and vote of confidence this award bestows.
Over the past 15 years, Meritus has raised over $5.5 million enabling more than 445 San Francisco public high school graduates to attend four-year colleges. Each scholarship is made possible by the donations of individuals and organizations who value education, and seek to support these special graduates as they attain their college aspirations. Programmatic support is made possible through local foundations.
Founded in 1996, Meritus College Fund is dedicated to investing in those whose limited economic resources and challenging life circumstances are serious impediments in accessing and succeeding in college. Meritus is unique because it provides both financial and individualized support for these fine students while they pursue four-year degrees. For more information about Meritus, visit www.meritusfund.org or call 415-400.8640.