We are happy to share the exciting news that our 2021 graduates contributed to Mission Graduates surpassing 100 college graduates from the College Connect program.
College Connect launched in the Spring of 2008 with its first pilot cohort of 9 students. Since then our programming has grown to accept 25 high school juniors from the Mission and Excelsior Districts of San Francisco every year. We’ve increased the time our students work one-on-one with Writing Partners and Math Tutors, which has helped our students apply to more scholarships, strengthen their basic math skills, and create stronger bonds with more caring, college-educated adults.
College Connect’s first cohort, Class of 2009
We’ve grown the program to find new ways of meeting our students’ needs and we continue to find ways to support our youth beyond college graduation. Impact Gen, one of our newest programs, launched this year to connect our college graduates to internships and entry-level job opportunities. This pilot program has successfully matched students with career mentors, placed students in internships, and has even been recognized by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. We have even had College Connect alumni return to be career mentors, which is a full circle of paying it forward!
College Connect students on a campus tour
Our high-touch family-based models allow us to work closely with students and their parents to help educate and walk them through the college application process. As the first person in my family to graduate from college, I know firsthand how important it is to have a trusted program to turn to when you’re not sure what your next step should be. With close to 13 years of working at Mission Graduates, I have had the pleasure of seeing many students graduate from college. This milestone makes it ever so sweet!
In community,
Catherine Marroquin
Senior Director of College Access
