Philanthropy Now Podcast: Student Support is Critical to College Completion

Over the last decade, government funding for higher education has decreased by more than $9 billion dollars. The rising costs of a college education have primarily fallen on students and their families. Through partnerships with local nonprofits and generous donors, SVCF offers a variety of innovative scholarships that provide students not only with needed funds, but with coaching and support services to help them successfully graduate from college. Last year SVCF managed 47 scholarship programs, which awarded more than $2.5 million in awards to 500 different recipients. In this episode, SVCF Scholarships Officer Dean Taylor talks with Savonna Stender-Bondesson, Coach Supervisor for Pivotal, a nonprofit helping foster youth enter and graduate from college, and Sarah Gentle, a Pivotal Scholar. Their conversation highlights the challenges students face and the successes of Pivotal's Bay Area program. Access the full show notes at siliconvalleycf.org