When Mali Szerwo graduated from Santa Barbara High School, she considered going to college in New York. Then she thought about how lucky she was to have one of the best community colleges in the country in her own backyard, where she had already been taking classes as a dual enrollment student. When she learned that the SBCC Promise would cover the cost of her tuition, books, and supplies for two years, the decision was easy.
“I already knew how great the professors and programs are at SBCC,” Mali said. “It was something I had started thinking of as normal, but came to realize that it’s really not. To have outstanding classes, caring and knowledgeable counselors, not to mention a thriving theater department, is really special.” She took a variety of classes while in high school, including Japanese, art studio, and statistics.
Mali will graduate as an honors student in spring 2025, with an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts and a certificate in Art Studio. She has been very involved in theater and plans to continue this when she transfers to a four-year university in the fall.
“Participating in the SBCC Promise was huge for me,” Mali said. “I’m thankful to the SBCC Foundation for this support in addition to the scholarships I received. Having the cost of my education covered for two years and receiving additional funds has allowed me to cut down on my work hours, focus on school, and not be derailed by large expenses, such as car repairs. I’m excited to transfer in the fall.”
Mali applied to and is waiting to hear from a few universities, including Tufts and NY University. She’s already been accepted to UCLA and UC Santa Cruz. Her plans are to major in art history and minor in theater. In her view, these disciplines are synergistic, and will open doors to a variety of careers. She’s as interested in curating exhibitions as she is in creating work for them. And learning history provides an additional lens for her creative endeavors.
In her first year at SBCC, Mali helped to found the Theatre Arts Club, and continued her involvement during her second year. The goal of the club is to foster a space where artists (in any definition of the term) can come together to create, grow, and build relationships.
When asked about selecting the requisite courses to transfer and the process of applying to universities, Mali said that she received amazing guidance from her academic counselor, Wendy Peters. “She was like a goddess from heaven,” Mali said.
After Mali earns her BA, she will most likely go on to graduate school. Learning will always be a central part of her life, and starting her higher education journey at SBCC has turned out to be a great launching pad for her next chapter.
Visit Mali Szerwo’s website
