SF State announces new scholarships for SFUSD students

Twenty scholarships will be awarded annually to graduates of San Francisco public high schools

Jan. 29, 2014 -- San Francisco State University announced today the creation of new scholarships for graduates of the San Francisco Unified School District, strengthening the University's commitment to providing every public school student in San Francisco with access to a college education.

Twenty scholarships of $1,000 per year for four years have been established by a $2.4 million endowment and will be awarded annually to SFUSD graduates who attend SF State, beginning with the Fall 2014 semester. President Leslie Wong announced the new scholarships at today's meeting of the California State University Board of Trustees.

The scholarships are part of the San Francisco Promise program, a partnership between SF State, SFUSD and the City of San Francisco to make higher education an attainable goal for every eligible student. SF Promise aims to increase the number of SFUSD high school students who are prepared for, attend and graduate from college. Since its creation in 2008, the number of new freshmen enrolled at SF State from San Francisco public high schools has increased 52 percent.

"The SF Promise program and the new scholarship opportunity demonstrate the strong commitment that SF State has made to the city of San Francisco and its families," said Interim Vice President for Student Affairs/Enrollment Management Jo Volkert. "The University wants students living in the city to know that we are eager for them to pursue their educational goals at SF State so they can contribute to the creative and economic vibrancy of our city after they graduate."

Notification will be sent to all freshmen applicants to SF State from San Francisco public high schools informing them of their eligibility. Applications must be submitted by April 1. Applicants should also complete the 2014-15 FAFSA or the California Dream Act Application. Awards will be based on students' applications, reviewed by University officials and community members, and financial need.

As part of its efforts to prepare high school students for college, SF Promise sponsors a citywide college fair in October as well as "Frisco Day" in April, when graduating seniors are bused to early orientation events. In addition, SF State visits all SFUSD high schools regularly to provide information and advice to future students about admissions requirements and financial aid.

"This has been a wonderful collaboration over the past several years to support our students to be college and career ready," said SFUSD Superintendent Richard A. Carranza. "This partnership has also supported hundreds of students by guaranteeing admission to SF State for those who meet admission requirements. These are important steps to ensure greater access to higher education opportunities for our students."

For more information about the SF Promise program visit http://sfpromise.sfsu.edu

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SF State is the only master's-level public university serving the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin. The University enrolls nearly 30,000 students each year and offers nationally acclaimed programs in a range of fields -- from creative writing, cinema and biology to history, broadcast and electronic communication arts, theatre arts and ethnic studies. The University’s more than 219,000 graduates have contributed to the economic, cultural and civic fabric of San Francisco and beyond.