Dear Friends,

It’s graduation season! And beneath the caps, gowns and regalia, beyond the familiar notes of Pomp and Circumstance, and behind the bright smiles of our proud college graduates as they cross the stage is a remarkable story. It’s an odds-defying story of grit and persistence. It’s a dreamer’s story, where the dream becomes reality. It’s a story defined by hard work and sacrifice. And it’s a story that is only just beginning.

Throughout their 13-year Peninsula Bridge journey, our college graduates have received 600 hours of academic support, 150 hours of college and career advising, ongoing 1:1 mentorship, financial literacy education, mental health support and career development. Our graduates played on their college club sports teams, held part-time jobs, conducted academic research, and held leadership positions in affinity, social, environmental, tech, business and service clubs. They worked in summer internships at leading companies including Capital G, Apple, Arcus Biosciences and The Trium Group, and they are graduating from top-tier schools including Yale, Northeastern, UC Davis and USC, ready to make an impact in their communities and our world.

Here are the stories of just a few of the extraordinary Class of 2024 College Scholars:

Franchesca has leveraged every opportunity at Santa Clara University as a stepping stone towards her career dreams. A master of time management, Franchesca balanced rigorous studies in Finance and Business analytics with several part-time jobs, served as Treasurer and Co-President of Sigma Omega Nu Latina Sorority, and held roles in the Latino Student Union, LatinX Business Student Association, and the Goldman Sachs Emerging Leaders Series. Franchesca gives back to Peninsula Bridge as a mentor to younger students, recognizing that “Peninsula Bridge has been my guiding light, showing me that with dedication and support, anything is possible.” Equipped with the experience she gained through summer internships with Deloitte and Apple, and poised to join Apple’s Finance Development Program as a Financial Analyst after graduation, Franchesca’s journey is a testament to hard work, determination and growth.

Eduardo has navigated his college years at UC Berkeley with determination and a clear vision for his future. He found his academic passion at the intersection of economics, business, and data science his freshman year, and that passion informed his academic, research and extracurricular engagement throughout college. Eduardo's journey includes impactful internships at CapitalG, Sixth Street, and FICO, where he honed his skills in data science. Having artfully balanced rigorous courses, part-time on-campus jobs and academic research with the Collatz Conjecture Research Group, Eduardo graduates well-equipped for his full-time role at FICO as a Solutions Architect. Reflecting on his journey, Eduardo says, “Peninsula Bridge will be a part of me well past my college graduation, reminding me that everyone needs a light, providing me with a sense of direction for my pursuits and how to find fulfillment, encouraging me to leave no stone unturned.”

Natali engaged fully in college life at Smith while pursuing her dream of becoming an engineer, finding her stride through on-campus work in both dining halls and research labs, the rugby team, the Latin American Students’ Organization (LASO) and the Community for Low-Income First Generation Students. An engineer in the making, Natali worked as an engineering lab assistant and a geotechnical research assistant, and co-founded the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers at Smith. Natali completed engaging internships with the Apple iPhone operations team and with Humanos 3D in Medellin, Colombia, where she built prosthetic arms and fingers. With gratitude for the experience, Natali says, “Peninsula Bridge opened doors to incredible opportunities that I never thought possible for someone with my background - internships, connections to prestigious schools, and a strong network of professional connections for life after college.” Natali will begin her career as an Engineering Associate with the Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering.

Thank you for helping empower the Peninsula Bridge College Class of 2024 along their paths to and through college and being a part of their inspiring stories. We know you share in our pride as we look forward to their next chapters as next-generation leaders and world changers!

With gratitude,

Randi Shafton
Chief Executive Officer

Celebrate our college graduates with a gift today! Your gift honors their accomplishment and provides our future college graduates with the resources and support they need to reach this life-changing milestone!