ScholarMatch

The future of LA youth is shining brighter than ever!✨

Last weekend, ScholarMatch joined in the SELA Send-Off celebration, which brought together students, families, and supporters to honor dozens of graduating seniors as they prepare for their next chapter.

🎓 Naylenie, who will be attending Cal State Fullerton
🎓 Isais, who will be attending UC Santa Barbara

Our Executive Director, Karla V. Salazar, and our Community Outreach Coordinator, Sandra Ruiz, also had the opportunity to meet many of our newest LA scholars, making the celebration even more meaningful as we welcome this year’s cohort into the ScholarMatch family.

A big thank you to the SELA planning committee for this amazing celebration and for their commitment to supporting students and families across the region. Special thanks to:

💙Dr. Cynthia Gonzalez, Mayor of Cudahy
💙Emma Hernandez, SCDC
💙Sandra Nunez, SELA Collaborative
💙Gary Hardy, Board Member, Lynwood Unified School District
💙Monica Arroyo, Cudahy City Council
💙Karla V. Salazar, ScholarMatch
💙Dr. Keber Marquez, Mayor of Maywood
💙Dr. Graciela Ortiz, Former Huntington Park City Council Member

Congratulations, Class of 2026! We’re cheering you on! 🌟

She did what?! 😄

After years of going to soccer games at Stanford, Camila decided to dream big and apply! At first, the application process felt overwhelming, and she almost didn’t go for it. But in the end, the support and encouragement of her ScholarMatch college coach made all the difference.

When Camila finally received her notification from Stanford, confetti filling the screen, she knew she got in! “Congratulations! You’ve been admitted to the Class of 2030.” 🎉

We’re SO proud of you, Camila! 🤩 And this is just the beginning of an amazing journey we will be following with her.

You can help create more moments like this for more students like Camila. Make a gift to ScholarMatch today so more first-generation students can be matched with caring mentors.

scholarmatch.org/donate

Last Friday, our Marketing Lead, Cynthia Cepeda, proudly represented ScholarMatch at the Southern California College Access Network's (SoCal CAN) 20th Anniversary.

For the past 20 years, SoCal CAN has brought together organizations, advocates, and leaders across Southern California to expand college access for first-generation students. We’re proud to be a part of a network that believes every student deserves the opportunity, guidance, and a path to higher education.

We also had the chance to reconnect with other LA partners, including the Alliance for a Better Community, which continues to champion education equity and student success across Los Angeles communities. Congratulations to SoCal CAN on 20 years of impact. Here’s to 20 more!

Did you know that our volunteer opportunities also include one-time, small-group session activities? We know how busy life can get, so micro-volunteer opportunities can be a great way to support ScholarMatch and make an impact on the students we serve.

Recently, we had a great time hosting Liberty Mutual Insurance volunteers who joined us to help assemble care packages for our incoming scholars. Not only did they do a great job packing and organizing but also encouraging students with some heartfelt postcards filled with inspirational messages. We hope our students will feel appreciated and cared for as they join our ScholarMatch family.

A big thank you to Rachel McCarty, who helped organize this event, and to all the volunteers from Liberty Mutual, to ScholarMatch alum Miriam Villa Gongora, who joined us to share a little bit about her college journey, to our friends at the Library of Young Authors for hosting us, and our amazing staff for making this event happen so smoothly.

If you're interested in volunteering with us, you can learn more at scholarmatch.org/get-involved/volunteer

Class of 2026: we can’t wait to celebrate your achievements at the upcoming SELA Send-Off event organized by the City of Cudahy, Southeast Community Development Corporation, and the SELA Collaborative (Selacollab). 🎉

It’s been an honor supporting students in the LA area and connecting with families and other community partners in the region to share ScholarMatch’s college access resources and opportunities. 🎓

We’re so proud to be sponsors of this event! And we're extremely excited to award two $500 scholarships to students! Come celebrate with us on Saturday, May 30, at Clara Park. We’d love to see you there!

Hey students! Final call for our STEM Transfer Program info sessions! If you're curious about our program but unsure if it is a good fit for you, join our info session today, May 12, at 12:30 pm (PST) to learn more and apply by this Friday, May 15.

Through our free STEM Transfer Program, you'll receive 1:1 college advising from a trained college coach to help you navigate transfer requirements and those complex financial aid questions. Our program is fully virtual and flexible, so you can connect with your coach on a schedule that works for you! 🤩

Learn more on our website and apply by Friday, May 15, 2026.

scholarmatch.org/students/stem

Still have questions? Email our team at [email protected]

Hey students! Don't forget that applications are open until September 18 to join our Destined for College program. If you're the first in your family to apply to college and don't know where to start, ScholarMatch can be a great resource for you! 🙌🏽

By joining our free college access program, you'll receive 1:1 guidance from trained college coaches as you tackle personal statement essays, financial aid, and other complex requirements related to college applications. 🤩

Our program is FREE and fully virtual, so you can connect with your coach on a schedule that works for you.

Learn more at scholarmatch.org/students/dc

Still have questions? Email [email protected].

College Decision Day is here!

We’re SO excited to see our students make their college decisions and step confidently into their futures.

Congratulations to every student out there for their hard work and dedication to this process. We see you and we’re incredibly proud of you!

Whether you’re staying close to home or going far away, this is just the beginning of an exciting new chapter in your life. Enjoy the ride!