On Friday, April 19, 2024, Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) hosted over 560 South Santa Barbara County high school Seniors for the first ever SBCC Promise Registration Rally. The event provided the visiting high school students the resources needed to enroll at SBCC for the Fall semester as SBCC Promise students. The Seniors were bused in from Dos Pueblos, Santa Barbara, San Marcos, Carpinteria, Bishop Diego, La Cuesta and Alta Vista High Schools.
“We were delighted to welcome new students to our campus,” said Superintendent/President Erika Endrijonas, Ph.D. “Bringing new students to campus, showing them their classes, and having them meet faculty and staff is an important step in creating a sense of belonging and community. We are committed to making SBCC a place where all students are welcome and can thrive.”
“We are grateful to Santa Barbara City College for this partnership. We share a united vision of preparing students in our community to be the next generation of engineers, artists, entrepreneurs and more. Field trips like this help seniors prepare and get excited for life after graduation, and we look forward to seeing the great things the Class of 2024 will do,” said Santa Barbara Unified School District Superintendent Hilda Maldonado, Ed.D.
Once students arrived at SBCC they were welcomed by staff and divided into groups that aligned with their academic interests/majors. They received a warm welcome from Dr. Endrijonas and worked with staff members to enroll for Fall classes. Students received free SBCC t-shirts, resources and free lunch from Jersey Mike’s. Once they were enrolled, they were bused back to their respective campuses. Overall, this effort enrolled over 560 students for the Fall 2024 semester.
“Year round, SBCC Enrollment and Retention Services is at local high schools working with students to see SBCC as an opportunity for them,” stated SBCC Enrollment Services and Retention Director Vanessa Pelton. “We are taking it to the next level by bringing students to our campus and making in-person connections with them. We are grateful for the turnout this year and looking forward to doing this for years to come.”
What is the SBCC Promise?
The SBCC Promise was launched by the SBCC Foundation in fall of 2016 and, since then, has provided over 7,000 students the opportunity to attend SBCC full-time and free of charge for up to two years. Only local high school students from Gaviota to Carpinteria are eligible for the SBCC Promise. By removing financial barriers, the SBCC Promise is making our community’s college fully accessible to all local students who are willing to make the necessary commitments. The SBCC Promise relies entirely on private donations; learn more about the SBCC Promise and how you can donate today.
“The SBCC Promise has made a difference in the lives of thousands of local Santa Barbara students and their families,” shared SBCC Foundation Chief Program Officer Rachel Johnson. “One of the most comprehensive Promise initiatives in the country, this program is entirely funded through the generosity of donors from our community who help make our students’ academic dreams a reality.”
Special Thanks
Thank you to SBCC staff and faculty for volunteering their time to make this effort a huge success — especially SBCC Enrollment & Retention Services, Admissions & Records, Academic Counseling, and Dual Enrollment. Additional thanks to SBCC Foundation staff, Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD), Carpinteria Unified School District Staff, Jump on the Bus, and Jersey Mike’s for their support of this program.
