Fewer low-income students are going to college. A Bay Area nonprofit aims to change that
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (KGO) -- When Cephas Louis emigrated to the Bay Area six years ago from Haiti, he dreamed of going to college.
"I remember when I first came to the U.S., it was pretty challenging. It was a new culture. I didn't really speak English," said Louis, who is now a junior studying finance at San Francisco State University.
Louis was able to achieve his dream with the help of 10,000 Degrees, a San Rafael nonprofit that provides mentoring and scholarships for students from low-income backgrounds.
"They made everything easier for me. They helped me with FAFSA, they helped me with college applications, and also to apply for scholarships," said Louis.
Since it was founded more than 45 years ago, 10,000 Degrees has helped more than 80,000 students and awarded more than $113 million in scholarships.
"Students who are coming from low-income, first-generation backgrounds, they need a special kind of support when it comes to approaching careers because they don't have folks in their corner who have maybe gone through similar kinds of things," explained James D'Haiti, manager of Black Student Career Success at 10,000 Degrees.
A college degree can be life changing. A Texas A&M University study found that Black adults with a college degree will earn about $1 million more over their lifetime than those with just a high school diploma.
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Ninety-two-percent of students in 10,000 Degrees are the first in their family to go to college.
"We're also working with the students who don't think college is for them and part of our work is to say college is for you if you feel like you belong there, and let me tell you why, and let me show you all the options that you do have regardless of the background you came from, regardless of your current grades," said Vanessa Burnside, chief impact officer at 10,000 Degrees.
Burnside understands life's challenges. She felt her life crumbling when she got pregnant as a teenager.
"A lot of people wanted to count me out and that fueled my fire and pushed me to want to do better and prove them wrong," recalled Burnside.
Vanessa credits her parents and a school counselor with helping her push forward.
10,000 Degrees uses peer mentors to do the same. The nonprofit places fellows in high schools to work with students on a regular basis. The fellows are recent college graduates who can share their knowledge about succeeding in school.
"I try to work with them one-on-one directly with their needs so whether it be working on resume, helping them look for internships or helping them to kind of make that transition from college to jobs," said D'Haiti.
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Their graduation rate is double the national average, but there are challenges.
Since the Supreme Court banned affirmative action three years ago, enrollment of Black students at elite universities has dropped 18%, although enrollment is up at HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities).
"One of the biggest indicators of success within college is a sense of belonging and sometimes when you're going into a place where there's very little people who look like you or have similar backgrounds as you, then you don't feel like you belong and that contributes to people not continuing with college," said Burnside.
The Trump administration's dismantling of diversity and equity programs is also taking a toll.
"There's been a pulling back of just representation in the curriculum and when we talk about removing Black history or sociology, they don't see themselves reflected in the curriculum," explained Burnside.
Louis credits 10,000 Degrees for helping him during down moments.
"10,000 Degrees truly helped me emotionally when I felt distressed and sad. They helped me see that everything is going to be okay and if I work hard enough, if I believe, I will be able to make my dream possible," said Louis.
