LEAD Scholars Program

?? Amazing afternoon with LEAD Scholars at the KPMG Santa Clara office! Our scholars had the invaluable opportunity to network with industry professionals and learn firsthand about the dynamic world of auditing, tax, and advisory. KPMG team members shared insights into their day-to-day roles and highlighted the many pathways and resources available to first-generation students looking to break into the industry. A huge thank you to KPMG and Cheyenne Mullins, MBA for opening their doors to our students and investing in the future of first-gen leaders! #FirstGenAtSCu #KPMG #FirstGenSuccess #Networking

?? Calling Recent Grads Looking For Full-Time Roles ?? The Career Center is hosting a five-week Fall cohort, starting on Oct. 17th and concluding on Thursday, Nov. 14th via Zoom for current unemployed or part-time employed alumni! The Recent Job Search Program empowers recent graduates to create effective systems and processes for goal setting, developing a growth mindset, and fostering well-being. Students will learn how to harness your strengths, build new habits, and implement strategies to overcome procrastination and anxiety. By the end, students gain the confidence and motivation needed to craft a successful job search strategy and achieve your career goals. Please note that the Fall cohort will run from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m., starting on Thursday, October 17th, and concluding on Thursday, November 14th via Zoom. Apply by 10/14/24 (Free) https://lnkd.in/gJAuDRtm

Santa Clara University's FLI (First-generation and/or Limited Income) Forward Conference is back and ready to soar. This event highlights the experiences of first-gen and/or limited-income college students through engaging keynote speakers, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities. ??? Mark your calendars for Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. ?? Register today: https://go.scu.edu/3Yi2Q88 Why FLI? 1?? Open to prospective transfer students, current students, and SCU staff and faculty 2?? Learn more creating a more culturally conscious environment and support system 3?? Hear from SCU alumni, current Broncos, faculty, staff and more. This year's keynote speaker is Josue De Paz ’15, co-founder and CEO of First Tech Fund (FTF). FTF provides free technology and broadband access, mentorship, digital skills training, and insights into career pathways. LEAD Scholars Program More information: https://www.scu.edu/fli/

Proud, to share that, I am part of the LEAD Scholars Program, a fantastic initiative designed to support first-generation college students. The program focuses on academic success and community engagement by offering academic and career development opportunities, personalized advising, peer mentoring, and community-building activities. I feel incredibly grateful to be given the great opportunity to help other first-gen students. This experience drives my passion for giving back to others who are facing similar challenges. I understand the unique hurdles that new LEAD Scholars encounter, and I’m dedicated to supporting them as they navigate their college journey. By sharing my own experiences and insights, I hope to empower my mentees to thrive academically and personally, fostering a sense of community and connection. Together, we can build a supportive environment where every student feels valued and understood. Participating in LEAD Formation has equipped me with the essential tools and mindset to effectively support my mentees during LEAD Week and throughout the school year. These concepts have shaped my approach to leadership and community-building as we moved into LEAD week. We had great presentations for training including: UndocuAlly training, Question Persuade Refer Certification (QPR), Title 9, and Critical Hope Theory by Dr Lara, and Mental Health. During LEAD Week, I lead daily mentoring group meetings and coordinate team-building activities to foster connections among students. Throughout the academic year, I will meet individually with each mentee once a quarter, providing a space for them to discuss their experiences, challenges, and achievements. I also will be organizing a quarterly group event, whether attending a campus activity or sharing a meal, to strengthen our community. My main goal is to help mentees navigate their college journey, ensuring they find the academic support they need, build relationships, and feel comfortable in their new environment. I am here to answer questions, address concerns, and serve as a resource, helping them make the most of their time at SCU. Thank you LEAD Scholars Program! Here are some pictures from Formation and LEAD Week!?

?? Exciting News! ?? A warm welcome to the newest cohort of LEAD Scholars at Santa Clara University! This year, we are thrilled to welcome 230 new first-generation college students, our largest class ever ???? As they embark on this transformative journey, these scholars are bringing unique perspectives, diverse backgrounds, and inspiring resilience. We are so proud to support them as they work towards their academic and professional goals, and we can't wait to see all they accomplish as they grow into future leaders. Welcome to the LEAD family, Class of 2028! ??? #FirstGenAtSCU #LEADWeek24 #SCU2028 #FirstGen

Continuously proud of the work and experiences our LEAD Scholars get involved in! Great job Frank Pusich #FirstGenAtSCU

A big thank you to the?Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business?and Dean Ed Grier for taking the time to speak with our?LEAD Scholars?during their business elective class for?LEAD Week! ??? It was an inspiring and valuable opportunity for these first-generation students to hear from experienced leaders in business and gain insights that will guide them through their university journey and beyond. LEAD Week plays a crucial role in preparing these bright minds for success, and the support of the Leavey School of Business makes it all the more impactful. Looking forward to seeing the amazing things these scholars will achieve! ?? #FirstGenAtSCU #FirstGen #LEADWeek24 #LifeAtSCU

Applications are now closed! ?? Awardees will be announced on National First Gen Day (11/8/24) ??? Applications for this year’s First Gen Fellowships are officially open! Apply now through Oct 1 at firstgen.org, follow @firstgenfund for the latest updates and announcements, and share with your networks.??? I also want to share a letter I just posted on firstgen.org here: I never set out to start a nonprofit when I wrote and published my memoir First Gen in 2023. Back then, motivated by conversations I was having with thousands of first gen students across the country, I simply wanted to do something – anything - to help address the crippling financial burden these young people were facing. And I wanted to do it fast. No red tape, no GPA threshold, no citizenship requirement - just direct support to students who needed it. I announced that I was self-funding ten hardship grants of $1000, unsure if anyone would apply. But you did. Thousands of you. I heard from hardworking students who didn’t have enough money to eat three meals a day. To fly home to visit their families during the holidays. And from others who couldn’t afford transportation to and from school. Who might have to drop out of college because of a $500 tuition gap. As someone who had taken out loans into the six figures in order to attend USC and Harvard, it broke my heart to only be able to award ten grants. That’s why I created the First Gen Fund. There is higher ed policy that must change and exorbitant tuition costs that must be reined in. And in the meantime, our first gen students can’t wait. They need our help right now. To those who wish to support the first gen community by funding additional hardship grants, please visit our donation page to contribute to the Fund. And to our tribe of trailblazers, we have your back. Keep going.

We are thrilled to have Dr. Lara present Critical Hope Theory to our student staff for LEAD formation! This theory plays a crucial role in empowering our students by helping them cultivate resilience, optimism, and a sense of purpose in their leadership journey. LEAD Formation equips our student staff with the tools and mindset needed to lead their mentees for LEAD week. We are excited to see how these concepts will shape our team’s approach to leadership and community-building in the following week ahead. Thank you, Dr. Lara, for sharing your knowledge and passion with us!

Google is sponsoring an all expenses paid trip for students and recent graduates to attend selected tech, business, STEM, and other related industry conferences! Here's everything you need to know: ?? Who's eligible? Those who identify as being historically underrepresented in tech, business, and STEM industries* Must be a University student or industry professional who is a citizen, permanent resident of, or currently studying in the US, Canada, or Mexico *Google notes "All qualified industry professionals and students are able to apply" ?? Read the full eligibility requirements here under "'Eligibility": https://lnkd.in/g4NciuPU ?? What's included? Conference registration, one round trip travel to and from the conference site, hotel accommodation for the travel dates as communicated directly with accepted scholars, a $100 USD stipend for miscellaneous travel costs and Google swag. ?? What conferences can you apply for sponsorship for? There are 5 conferences you can still apply for by September 10th, 2024. Here are the ones you can choose from → ADCOLOR Conference: https://lnkd.in/gfkJCnbS → AFROTECH Conference: https://lnkd.in/gU8rKYPT → Great Minds in STEM Conference: https://lnkd.in/gy8eNKaZ → Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers National Convention (SPHE): https://shpe.org/nc2024/ → Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science National Diversity in STEM Conference (SACNAS): https://lnkd.in/gpmnAXU2 (If a conference is not listed, you can not use this scholarship application to apply for it.) ? How to apply? →Program Overview and FAQs about the program: https://lnkd.in/g4NciuPU →Submit your application here: https://lnkd.in/gWbtWJVE Want more #earlycareer content like this on your TL? Be sure to follow Jade Walters here and on Tik Tok/IG (@theninthsemester) #networking #professionaldevelopment #conferences #techconference #afrotech #googleconference #adcolor #googleconferencescholarship