Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship Fund: A Vineyard Team Initiative
$1.3M+
Higher education is important to many students but paying for college can be challenging. The Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship provides multi-year, higher education investments in the children of vineyard and winery workers based on academic excellence, financial need, and community involvement. The majority of awardees are first generation college students. This funding supports students and their families in achieving their dreams of successful graduation from school to pursue a professional career.
Explore this project through video HERE.
The Need
98% of past Vineyard Team scholarship recipients have been first generation college students.
- First-Gen students are less likely to persist through post-secondary higher education and graduate from college for two main reasons:
- More often of a lower socioeconomic status with less money to cover their college costs and more likely to work more hours while in school.
- Student and family unfamiliar with navigating educational bureaucracy.
- First-Gen students face more obstacles and psychological challenges than their peers including guilt, shame, confusion and anxiety.
The Outcome
Bridging the gap and addressing the equity of higher education by serving student needs of farm-working families.
- Expand scholarships from single-year to multi-year awards for applicants pursuing junior college, four-year universities, or trade schools.
- Hire Scholarship Administrator to manage all aspects of the program.
- Develop a metrics-based selection process.
- Develop tracking system to improve efficiencies and better serve the scholars.
- Double the number of scholar recipients in the next 5 years and continue to grow and serve more scholars to meet future needs.
The Impact
Attending college isn’t solely about economic value, future earnings, or vocational skills. The public often emphasizes these benefits of a college degree, but the benefits to society are just as important. Through volunteer work, leadership, and philanthropic contributions, public/private university graduates enrich the civic and economic life of their communities.