Mission Scholars has much to celebrate, and its recent gathering, Come As You Were: College Edition, invited more than 100 guests to help launch a new generation of high school seniors into their college years, and relive a bit of their own.
The five-year-old organization recently announced its independence from the Santa Barbara Education Foundation, as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit.
Mission Scholars is also celebrating its first cohort of graduating college students, all of whom are the first in their families to earn a bachelor’s degree.
Adding to the celebration, Mission Scholars is still rejoicing from the extraordinary achievements of the class of 2023, who collectively earned $5 million in college scholarships, including full four-year coverage for half of the class.
“We are coming off of an incredible year,” said Cassie Lancaster, Mission Scholars’ co-founder/executive director. “Our aim is to ensure at least 80% of educational costs are funded through grants and scholarships to minimize student debt upon graduation, and we significantly exceeded that target last year.”
This accomplishment is a testament to the nonprofit’s effectiveness, and affirms the foresight and vision of its three co-founders Lancaster, Kim Phillips and Katie Kinsella.
“When we started Mission Scholars, we were responding to a need we saw in the community,” said Lancaster. “We knew that there are many high-achieving, underserved students who dream of going to college, and if we could pull our collective resources and offer them the guidance and professional expertise that we provided to our private clients, we could impact change on a much larger scale.”
That larger scale has helped more than 150 local students achieve their college dreams.
“In just five years, Mission Scholars has become Santa Barbara’s community network dedicated to supporting students like me,” said Bella Garfias, who got involved with the nonprofit’s college success program while studying at the University of San Diego.
“Mission Scholars’ unwavering commitment to providing resources, mentorship, and opportunities has been a lifeline for those of us who are willing to put in the work,” said Garfias. “With their guidance and support, we’ve been empowered to overcome obstacles, pursue our dreams, and carve out our own paths to success.
“Mission Scholars doesn’t only serve as a beacon of hope, but a catalyst for change, transforming the lives of students and enriching the fabric of our community.”
The college success program which focuses on personal growth, leadership development, and career guidance also helped connect Garfias with an internship opportunity that led to full time employment upon graduation at Electronic Arts.
Eve Flores, a senior at San Marcos High School, said she also dreamed of attending college but never thought it possible.
“I never would have felt empowered enough to step outside of my comfort zone and go for my college dream, if not for Mission Scholars,” said Flores, who had just returned from a trip to visit Macalester College, which she hopes to attend in the fall.
Flores said Mission Scholars gave her the confidence to embark on her first trip out of state to visit the school.
“Thanks to Mission Scholars, my dream has become a reality, and all of those things they taught me like resume building, and scholarships applications, I can now teach my younger siblings and others in the community so that they too can realize their dreams,” Flores said.
“The true testament of Mission Scholars’ impact lies in the ripple effect it creates,” agreed Garfias, who will mentor an incoming freshman at her alma mater. “For me, Mission Scholars ignited a chain reaction, introducing me to individuals who would profoundly alter the course of my life.”
Lancaster told Noozhawk that Garfias’ story illustrates why it’s essential to follow students through college, ensuring success throughout the four years and beyond.
“It’s about more than just getting students into college,” said Lancaster. Mission Scholars offers a comprehensive, seven-year program that focuses on college and post-graduate success, internship matching and one-on-one career counseling.
There are also workshops on financial literacy, self-care, interview prep and academic study skills, as well as a parent education component.
The event committee included Mary Blair, Suzanne Garrett, Sheri Copus, Emily Jones, Debby Peterson, Lizzie Peus, Julia Rodgers, Bess Scribner and Rachael Stein, who served as host with her husband Dave. Sponsors included Margerum Wine, Ysidro, and a special thanks to Daniel Gibbings for the raffle prize.
Key funders included The John C. Mithun Foundation, Tony & Kyra Rogers Foundation, Kirby-Jones Foundation, and an anonymous donor, who collectively provided a $50,000 matching grant in honor of this event.
To learn more about Mission Scholars, visit https://missionscholars.org.