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Encinitas Rotary District Grant Proposal
GUARDIAN SCHOLARS PROGRAM
DATE SUBMITTED July 24, 2025
The San Diego State University Guardian Scholar Program is a holistic support program committed to serving students who identify as current or former foster youth, wards of the court, under legal guardianship or unaccompanied homeless youth by supporting their transition to, through, and beyond SDSU. The program serves as a resource for young adults by assisting in their development and equipping them with the educational and interpersonal skills necessary to become self-supporting community leaders, role models and competent professionals in their selected fields.
The program was established in 2017 and almost 460 students have been served so far. There are currently 163 students in the program. The goal is to grow the program to support 240 students by the fall of 2025. The program offers ongoing services such as tutoring, mentoring summer transitional programs, and intensive personal and academics. In addition, they offer year-round housing assistance for on or off campus living, priority registration, and a Wellness Coaching team of friendly staff who support a connection to on campus local resources. Results of this program are impressive as 83% of all SDSU guardian scholars have either graduated from SDSU or remain currently enrolled.
Baseline funding of the Guardian Scholarship program is provided by the state of California, but its operations are heavily dependent on private donations. This Rotary District grant will provide scholarship opportunities for one to two students in the areas of tuition and housing for the 2026-2027 calendar year. The San Diego State University Office of Educational Opportunity Programs, Outreach and Success oversees the program and serves as the main support for the Guardian Scholars. This program offers ongoing services such as tutoring, mentoring, summer transitional programs, and intensive personal and academic counseling. In addition, they offer scholarships with a year-round housing stipend for on-and-off campus living, priority registration, wellness coaching, and a team friendly staff who will offer support and connection to on-campus and local resources.
Two designated individuals from the Encinitas Rotary will monitor the selection process of the students and meet with the SDSU Director of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity and the Guardian Scholarship team during the year to assess progress of the supported students. This group and participating students will also make an in-person presentation to the Encinitas Rotary to report on their experience as Guardian Scholars.
The Encinitas Rotary's support of the Guardian Scholars Program at SDSU would provide life-changing opportunities for former foster youth pursuing higher education. A contribution would help cover essential costs such as housing and tuition, allowing Guardian Scholars students to focus on their academic and personal growth without the burden of financial insecurity. Your Grant directly supports student achievement and helps create a stable, supportive path toward graduation and long-term success.
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