The Campaign for College Opportunity

New month. New leaders joining The Campaign.

We're proud to welcome new Board Members and Advisory Board Members whose experience across education, public policy, and student success will help advance our mission to expand college opportunity for California students.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Dilcie Perez, Kevin Gordon, Diego Arambula, and Jorge Aguilar to The Campaign for College Opportunity.

Together, we're advancing student-centered policies that expand opportunity, strengthen educational pathways, and help more Californians access higher education, succeed in college, and thrive beyond graduation.

Get to know the changemakers helping to drive our mission forward at the link in our bio.

Every student deserves the chance to pursue their dreams without unnecessary barriers.

As the child of immigrant parents, Erik Aviles knows firsthand how confusing the path to college can be as a first generation student. Today, he's helping make that path clearer for others.

As a summer Policy Fellow at the Campaign for College Opportunity, Erik is researching the barriers facing undocumented students and advocating for policies that ensure every Californian has the opportunity to pursue a college education.

His story is one of perseverance, purpose, and giving back to the students who are walking a path much like his own.

📖 Read more of Erik's story and learn why he's committed to expanding college opportunity through the link in our bio.

One statistic doesn't tell the whole story.

Bachelor's degree attainment among working-age Asian American Californians increased from 57% to 61% between 2018 and 2023.

That's meaningful progress worth celebrating.

But statewide averages don't tell the full story.

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities are incredibly diverse, with different experiences, outcomes, and barriers to higher education. Understanding those differences is essential to advancing policies that expand opportunity for all Californians.

➡️ Swipe to learn why looking beyond the headline statistic matters, then explore our latest State of Higher Education: Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Californians report.

📖 Read the full report through the link in our bio.

Congratulations to Maria Anguiano on her recent appointment as Chair of the University of California Board of Regents.

The Campaign for College Opportunity is especially proud to celebrate this appointment. As a former member of our Board of Directors, Chair Anguiano brought exceptional expertise, strategic vision, and a steadfast commitment to students in our organization’s mission.

A first-generation college graduate, Chair Anguiano has dedicated her career to expanding educational opportunity, from her most recent role as entrepreneur-in-residence at College Futures Foundation, to leading ASU’s Learning Enterprise as executive vice president. Her deep UC roots include serving as Vice Chancellor of Planning and Budget at UC Riverside and in senior leadership at the UC Office of the President.

We are confident she will bring that same dedication to access, opportunity, and excellence on behalf of the more than 300,000 students attending the 10 University of California institutions.

We look forward to partnering with Chair Anguiano and UC leadership to continue advancing equitable access and ensure every California student has the opportunity to succeed.

Please join us in congratulating Chair Anguiano on this well-deserved appointment. 🎉

Do you believe storytelling can change systems?

The Campaign for College Opportunity is looking for a Digital Communications Associate to help amplify research, elevate student voices, shape public conversations, and expand college opportunity across California.

If you're passionate about:
✨ Digital storytelling
📱 Social media strategy
🎥 Video content
📰 Media relations
📊 Turning research into compelling content

..we'd love to meet you.

This is an opportunity to use your creativity and communications skills to help advance educational equity and influence policy that impacts millions of students.

📍 Full-time | Hybrid
📍 Sacramento preferred (Los Angeles considered)
💰 Starting at $60,000

Ready to make an impact?

🔗 Apply through the link in our bio or visit collegecampaign.org/careers

Four reasons California should keep moving forward, not backward.

As California continues the conversation about college admissions, one thing remains clear: The evidence doesn’t show that test-optional admissions caused today’s math preparation challenges.

Instead, students are navigating the lasting effects of learning disruptions, chronic absenteeism, and unequal access to rigorous coursework.

In our latest blog based on a collaborative analysis with Just Equations, a policy institute focused on the role of math in education equity, we explain why California should continue moving forward with solutions that strengthen both college readiness and educational opportunity.

Evidence-based solutions include:

✔️ Direct calculus placement

✔️ Stronger academic supports

✔️ Equitable math pathways

✔️ Student-centered policies grounded in research

College readiness and educational equity don’t compete with one another. California can achieve both.

🔗 Read the blog post at the link in our bio, and stay tuned as we share updates around this discussion and continue advocating for evidence-based policies that expand opportunity for every California student.

One opportunity can change everything.

When Chloe Williams was offered a choice while incarcerated, she chose college.

That decision set her on a path that would take her from earning a 4.0 GPA at community college to graduating from UC Berkeley, pursuing a master’s degree, and today, advocating for policies that make higher education more accessible for students across California.

As Chloe says: “I am living proof of education policy in action.”

Her journey reminds us that talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t. With the right support, mentorship, and pathways, students don’t just change their own lives. They help change the systems that shape the lives of others.

Read Chloe’s full story at the link in our bio.

If Chloe's story inspires you, consider supporting the Steve Weiner & David Wolf Founder Fellowship Program. Your gift helps provide paid fellowships, mentorship, and leadership opportunities for emerging advocates working to create a more equitable future for California students.

Together, we can help the next generation of leaders turn their lived experience into lasting change.

Every student deserves the opportunity to learn, belong, and build their future.

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed birthright citizenship under the Fourteenth Amendment, holding that children born in the United States are citizens at birth, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.

For many students and families, this decision provides important certainty and reinforces longstanding constitutional protections.

The California Undocumented Higher Education Coalition remains committed to advancing equitable access to higher education and ensuring every student has the opportunity to pursue higher education and thrive.

While today’s decision is significant, our work continues. We will keep advocating for equitable access to higher education and policies that strengthen opportunity for undocumented and immigrant communities.

Share this post to help spread awareness about today’s decision and what it means for students and families.

Freedom must include opportunity.✊🏾✊🏿✊🏽

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It is a day to honor Black history, celebrate resilience, and reflect on both the progress made and the work that remains.

That reflection also reminds us that there is still work to do to expand educational opportunity and economic mobility for Black Californians. Higher education can be a powerful pathway to economic mobility, but only when every student has access to the support and resources they need to succeed.

The Campaign’s State of Higher Education for Black Californians highlights both the progress we’ve made and the barriers that remain, while identifying the policies and actions needed to help Black students thrive in college, careers, and beyond.

🔗 This Juneteenth, read The State of Higher Education for Black Californians and learn how California can better support Black students’ path to opportunity.