Support Student Success
The Foundation for SBCC is committed to the success of SBCC's students. Chief among the Foundation's fundraising goals is the College's Partnership for Student Success, comprising eight components (described below) designed to remove obstacles in the path of motivated students.
Childcare
Funds childcare, bookgrants and academic counseling for single parents trying to concentrate on their studies.
Scholarships
Scholarships remain among the most important ways for the Foundation for SBCC and its donors to encourage student success.
Single Parent Support
SPARC (Single Parents Arriving Ready for College) Helps single parents, providing childcare and personal development skills
Internships
Opportunities for real-world work experience in a student's chosen field pays and pays off.
Childcare
The CARE Program at SBCC "Coordinated Agencies Resources for Education" has served thousands of single parent students with continued childcare, book grants, school supplies, and counseling of both an academic and personal nature.
Scholarships
Scholarships remain among the most important ways for the Foundation for SBCC and its donors to encourage student success. Scholarships relieve financial burden, offer inspiration and validate the importance of education. Last year, over 800 students received $850,000 of support for books, tuition, supplies and other expenses. Through these gifts, donors are helping students pursue their dreams of a college education.
SPARC
Modeled on the successful Running Start program, SPARC is tailored to single parents who have generally been out of school several years. Participants take a 4-unit college course after receiving guidance through the registration process. Most important, they're provided childcare at the on-campus Kinko's Early Learning Center. This childcare component gives students peace of mind, allowing increased concentration on their coursework and goals.
Internships
The SBCC Internship Program is designed to provide an exceptional learning experience by giving students professional opportunities. They receive close mentoring by a faculty or staff member in the student's area of academic interest. Each intern can earn up to $2,500 per year while gaining real-world work experience on campus.
High School Seniors
"Running Start," a program unique to SBCC for high school seniors, can literally change the course of their lives.
Tutoring
Gateway to Success is a campus-wide program available to all students who seek to bolster their grasp of content and college-level academic skills in a variety of subjects and disciplines.
Math and Science Achievement
MESA, The Math, Engineering, Science Acheivement program as SBCC, encourages students to embrace and pursue the study of science
Book Grants
Community college tuition is affordable, but textbooks still run $1,000 per year.
Running Start
Running Start is a summer program for high school graduates without plans to attend college-many without plans at all. Program coordinators identify and recruit seniors whose grades and test scores reflect their ability to succeed, but are unaware of the benefit of higher education. Studies show that after the program, 94% of participants enroll as full-time college students.
Tutoring
Gateway to Success is a campus-wide program available to all students who seek to bolster their grasp of content and college-level academic skills in a variety of subjects and disciplines.
The Gateway program is not remedial or exclusively for "at risk" students; rather, Gateway is a resource for any students motivated to succeed, especially those in their first year of college who are acquiring foundational skills crucial to further academic achievement.
A "faculty-driven, faculty-managed" program, Gateway is comprised of partnerships between an instructor and a tutor for that instructor's course. The instructor and tutor work in tandem to identify and meet the needs of the students in that section. Tutors may work in and out of class time to supplement classroom instruction. This triangulated learning process promotes invaluable, individualized instruction for each student who takes advantage of his/her Gateway tutor.
Nearly 800 courses were designated Gateway in the 2008-2009 academic year. The Gateway Center, the tutoring lab where Gateway tutors work outside of class, served 10,000 student visits during this time. Gateway student success rates surpass general class rates by significant margins. Thanks to the collective support of faculty, the Senate, SBCC administration, and Foundation, Gateway's presence and reputation in the City College community continues to grow.
Tutors also work one-on-one at the Writing Center, helping students with all stages of the writing process. SBCC endeavors to overcome the distressing reality that today's students are unprepared for the challenges of college-level writing. We're proud to be able to perform this necessary service.
MESA
MESA is a statewide program that provides support for financially and educationally disadvantaged students majoring in math, engineering and science-based fields. MESA recruits students who are under-represented in these fields, including women and Hispanic students. The program boasts a 99% transfer rate among students going to four-year campuses. The Foundation has committed the necessary funds to establish the program at SBCC, and must raise funds to keep the program ongoing.
Book Grants
Fully 50% of students at SBCC are unable to purchase all the textbooks and supplies required for their courses. For most, it's the greatest school-related cost they incur each semester. On average, students pay over $1,000 yearly for textbooks and supplies. Book grants make a remarkable difference for many who are challenged financially, and who hope to attain a college education.