High Hopes Scholars are Berkeley public high school graduates (either Berkeley High School or Berkeley Technology Academy) attending a 4-year college or university in the U.S. The majority of our students are first-generation college students from low-income families and communities underrepresented in higher education. Over fifty percent are the first in their family to attend college, and many are recent immigrants to the country. More than three-quarters of our students attend a public institution in California. The remainder attend California private schools or attend school out of state.
The High Hopes Scholarship program is a college success program designed to provide mentorship, programs, community support, and resources to graduating seniors bound for four-year universities. We also provide a $16,000 scholarship to help bridge the financial gap for scholars. The support we provide helps students better navigate the demands and challenges of higher education and increases the likelihood that they will successfully obtain a college degree. Nationally, 90% of first-generation college students leave college within six years without a degree and 30% drop out after their freshmen year. BCS scholars comparatively demonstrate a 92% graduation/persistence rate.
Mentoring is one of the most important aspects of BCS’ program. BCS scholars often do not have the resources or access to the kinds of support and information that will help them achieve success in college. When surveyed, students place a higher value on having a mentor and “someone who believes in them,” than on the financial support they receive. By matching students with a mentor who has a college degree and understands the challenges and rewards of college, we provide a missing piece on their path to success.
We match each mentor with one of our High Hopes Scholars based on gender, career aspirations and interests.
Mentors are valuable resources to our scholars. They inspire and facilitate academic, career, and personal achievements. The developmental transitions faced by young adults in each of these areas are enriched by the experience, wisdom, and guidance of a mentor. They provide scholars with encouragement, information, support, advice, self-advocacy skills and are an important role model for meeting challenges. Mentors may also be able to provide valuable opportunities by helping students make contacts for academic and career success.
The BCS hosts two initial meetings with new scholars and their mentors—the scholar-mentor mixer the evening of June 1st and the summer orientation on Saturday, June 23rd. These events are mandatory for new mentors and scholars. We also encourage mentors to attend the Awards Ceremony to celebrate the new cohort class. This will take place on June 12th.
We also host events during the summer and an annual holiday party in December that are well attended by both mentors and scholars.
We ask potential mentors to fill out the mentor interest form. We strongly encourage potential mentors to attend our March and April information sessions. We select our scholars in mid-May and then choose from the pool of mentors to match the scholar with the appropriate mentor based on areas of common interest. Since we choose from a pool, not all mentors will be matched with a scholar this year, but we may match you with a scholar in the future.