This summer Mission Scholars organized a College Success Summer Series for its recent high school graduates aimed at ensuring a successful transition into their first year of college.

Mission Scholars graduates will be attending colleges from across the country this fall.
Mission Scholars graduates will be attending colleges across the country this fall. Credit: Courtesy photo

The series follows a year of achievements by the Class of 2023 Scholars; a year in which 90% of the cohort enrolled in four-year universities, and in which 95% of their combined cost of attendance was covered by grants and scholarships.

The workshop series will further ensure the success of these first-generation college students by equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in higher education.

To prepare the scholars for their college journey, Mission Scholars curated three key events, each tailored to address specific challenges they may encounter in their academic pursuits.

The inaugural program was the Professor Perspective Workshop Series. On a morning in late June, the scholars gathered around a seminar table to discuss the works of Plato and James Baldwin. Leading the exchange was Professor Nicole Callahan, TOMS Core Faculty Fellow and Lecturer for Contemporary Civilization at Columbia University.

Before the two mock lectures, the scholars were required to review a college syllabus and complete assigned readings, replicating the expectations of a genuine college classroom.

“My goal is to give you a sense of the way I conduct a college class, and the speed at which I move,” Callahan told the class.

Each morning, she presented them with challenging questions about the material, honing their ability to articulate thoughts and analyze complex texts.

The last day of the series, the scholars attended Callahan’s mock college office hours. The individual meetings aimed to help them understand the importance of connecting with their professors in college.

“I was incredibly moved by the growth from the first day to the last day of the series,” said Katie Kinsella, director of operations. “Students came in extremely nervous for a mock college class and mock office hours with a professor, full of self-doubt and uncertainty. By the last day, however, they walked out empowered, confident, and ready.”

In addition to the Professor Perspective Workshops, Mission Scholars organized a three-day college study skills workshop led by Paul Rivas, a study skills expert and author of “This Book Will Not Be on the Test.”

Rivas guided the scholars through note-taking and scheduling strategies, and explained how to navigate the myriad academic resources available on college campuses.

The final event for Mission Scholars’ recent graduates was the Leaders in Transition (LIT) Kickoff designed to prepare the scholars for career development success as college students.

The LIT Kickoff featured a career panel of leaders from local business, healthcare, and tech companies, including Sensata Technologies, Cottage Hospital, and Mission Wealth. The scholars practiced networking, got career advice from professionals, and developed a list of recommended workshops Mission Scholars would provide to support them during their first year of college.

This year’s Mission Scholars graduating class is heading to colleges and universities across the U.S., including schools in Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, and Philadelphia.

“We are confident that, with the mentorship and support Mission Scholars offers our college students, they will not only survive their first year of college: they will thrive,” said Kinsella.

A program of the Santa Barbara Education Foundation, Mission Scholars uses comprehensive college admissions guidance, mentorship, and career development training to help exceptional low-income students reach their full potential and become a force for change in our communities.

For more, visit www.missionscholars.org.