The Promise Scholarship Program supports first-generation college graduates from low-income households

Now in its third year, graduate faculty Promise scholarship program at the University of California, Santa Barbara, provides first-generation students from low-income households with financial support to pursue advanced degrees.

“If anyone has ever doubted the impact the Promise Fellowship program will have, just follow the recipients of the first fellowships,” said Leila J. Rupp, interim Anne and Michael Towbes dean of graduate students. “The program showed what it means when students who never dreamed of earning a master’s degree have the chance to show what they can do.”

The new group of fellows are incoming graduate students: Zackary Glazewski (Computer Science), Joshua Hopkins (Technology Management Program), Gina Milan (Teacher Education Program), Esmeralda Morales (Education), and Gil Sia (Electrical and Computer Engineering). Promise Fellows pursuing a master’s degree will receive a stipend and coverage of tuition and fees; doctoral candidates who are fully funded by their departments receive an additional $8,000 for each of the first three summers.

Promise Fellowship graduates went on to work and pursue academic studies in their chosen fields. “The scholarship funded everything from tuition and fees to housing and other personal expenses for the duration of my program,” said Erik Magaña, a 2023 Promise Fellow who currently works as a Spanish teacher in the Santa Barbara Unified School District. “Because TEP involves a lot of time, there was very little time for work outside of the program. Although I had a small part-time job due to additional expenses, the scholarship fully funded everything I needed to be successful in the program. It also meant I didn’t have to take out loans. Magaña said he is graduating debt-free thanks to the Promise Fellowship program.

Elena Barragan, one of the first two 2022 Promise Fellows, is currently a kindergarten teacher in Riverside, California. “I grew up in poverty with the dream of becoming an elementary school teacher to strengthen the education system for students like me, but not having the financial resources to achieve it remained a challenge throughout my life,” she said. “I was fortunate to be graciously awarded a Promise Fellowship at a pivotal time in my life, which allowed me to pursue a Master’s Degree in Education while pursuing my teaching credentials.”

Like Barragan and Magaña, new winners Milan and Morales are considering a career in education. “After high school, I hope to immediately start teaching full-time at an elementary school here in Santa Barbara,” said Milan, who received support to complete her bachelor’s degree through the program Promise Fellows Program for students. “All of my past classes and student teaching experiences in the UCSB Teacher Education Program have been absolutely enlightening and encouraging. My love for my career has grown exponentially and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have the opportunity to continually learn valuable knowledge and skills at my dream school.”

Morales currently works at UCSB as a student advisor in the Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences. “My personal experiences have instilled in me a deep appreciation for the role of education in breaking the cycle of socioeconomic challenges and fostering understanding among diverse communities,” she said. “I want to bring my unique perspective to academic discourse, committing to promoting empathy, inclusion, and equal educational opportunities for all, especially students from rural Latin America.”

With an advanced degree, Morales feels empowered to help undergraduate students. “The ability to guide Chicanx/Latinx students from rural backgrounds during their transition to higher education and throughout their college experience, while maintaining their family connections and practicing cultural traditions, is of great importance to me and is an under-researched area in educational research,” she said. “I look forward to working with faculty in the Department of Education to create scholarship that will answer my research questions.”

The two 2024–2025 scholarship recipients, Sia and Glazewski, are pursuing their master’s degrees in engineering. Glazewski thrived during his undergraduate studies through participation in the Early Research Scholars Program and working as an undergraduate research assistant. As a student in the Department of Computer Science’s five-year MS/BS program, he found that receiving the Promise Fellowship helped alleviate concerns about pursuing advanced studies. “I come from a low-income background, so my first thought when deciding whether to continue my education is whether it is financially feasible,” he said. “This scholarship gives me the time, security and confidence I need to succeed in my academic endeavors.”

According to former recipients, the scholarship also provides the freedom to explore career options in their fields while pursuing higher education. Anthony Boutros, a 2023 fellow, is currently pursuing a PhD in materials science and engineering at the University of Southern California. “The scholarship allowed me to focus on my research and coursework without having to worry about finding a job to pay the rent,” he said. “It’s really been easier for me to concentrate on school without any other distractions, which I’m really grateful for.”

This sentiment is shared by Michael Zargari, a 2022 Promise Fellow who earned his Master of Science in Environmental Data Science in 2023. “The scholarship allowed me to focus on my studies and apply for positions at the beginning of the year,” he said. “I finished my master’s degree with great results because I had no debt to worry about! This is what allowed me to be successful in the program while still participating on campus and being able to secure a job in the fall quarter.” He currently works as a quantitative analyst at Wells Fargo.

Rosemary Juarez, a 2023 Bren School of Environmental Science & Management graduate who received the Promise Fellowship, said it gave her the confidence to complete the rigorous program. “I cannot emphasize enough how monumental receiving the Promise Fellowship was not only for my educational path, but also for my future prospects,” she said.

The 2024 Hopkins awardee’s goal is to help future generations succeed. After graduating with a degree in statistics and data analytics, he decided to apply for a master’s degree in technology management. “Even though my daughter tells me I’m the best dad in the world (which is a little biased, but I’m honored), receiving the Promise Fellowship made me feel like I was appreciated at the highest level,” he said. “I was also relieved to know that I could focus on my studies without constantly worrying about financial survival.”