College of the Sequoias students (Kaylie V. center) proudly wearing Finish Line Scholars stoles during commencement.

SACRAMENTO, CA — This commencement season, students across California community colleges are achieving their goals with support from the Finish Line Scholars Program, which helps students facing unforeseen challenges near academic completion stay on track to earn a degree, certificate, or transfer to a four-year university. 

Backed by a historic $100 million commitment from the Jay Pritzker Foundation, the largest private gift ever made to community colleges in the nation, and administered by the Foundation for California Community Colleges, the Finish Line Scholars Program provides scholarships and emergency financial aid to students throughout California’s Inland Empire, Central Valley, and Far North regions. Eligible students are awarded a minimum of $1,000 per semester and up to $18,500 per year. 

“Our hope is for hard-working students facing unexpected financial burdens before graduation to receive the support they need to persist, graduate, and pursue brighter futures for themselves, their families, and their communities,” shared Dan and Karen Pritzker of the Jay Pritzker Foundation. “Each year, commencement reminds us of the profound transformative power of educational opportunity and of what becomes possible when students are given the chance to finish what they started.” 

Their generosity is making a lasting impact. Among the 2026 Finish Line Scholars are College of the Sequoias first-generation student Kaylie V., San Bernardino Valley College army veteran Andrew G., and Modesto Junior College student athlete Saul H.

“I feel very proud of myself when I think about graduating,” Kaylie said moments before commencement. “I’ve cried a lot, but I feel incredibly grateful.”

At just 21 years old, Kaylie has overcome tremendous challenges, including her own battle with cancer and the loss of her mother. Despite these hardships, she earned three associate degrees in Liberal Arts, Child Development, and Liberal Arts Education this May. While navigating grief, Kaylie remained committed to her education with support from College of the Sequoias programs such as Finish Line Scholars, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), and the Access and Ability Center (AAC). “They are the reason I’ve been able to finish my studies,” she said. “Going to school is a battle in itself. Finish Line Scholars helped me pay for gas to and from campus.”

This fall, Kaylie will transfer to Fresno Pacific University to become a medical social worker. Her inspiration to work with children and families came from watching her mother receive end-of-life care. “I learned so much from the support given to loved ones at the hospital,” Kaylie said. “It made me realize I want to be there for people during the hardest moments of their lives.”

After serving in the U.S. military, including time as an infantryman in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and a deployment to Kuwait in 2020, Andrew returned home searching for healing and direction. He first enrolled at California Polytechnic State University, Pomona to study agriculture before post-traumatic stress disorder and mental health struggles forced him to step away from school.

He later found support at San Bernardino Valley College, where the college’s Veterans Resource Center helped him navigate GI Bill benefits, vocational rehabilitation resources, and mental health support while pursuing a psychology degree. “We don’t lack resources,” Andrew, 26, said about veterans seeking help. “What’s hard is asking for help.”

Andrew graduated in May with honors and will transfer to California Baptist University this fall, with plans to later earn a doctorate in clinical psychology to support veterans coping with trauma. As he prepared for the transition, Andrew learned he would not qualify for summer financial aid as a transfer student and worried about how he would cover bills during these months. “I was scrambling to figure out how I was going to make ends meet during the summer. I rely on my financial aid from school,” he said. Support from the Finish Line Scholars program helped cover essential living expenses for him and his family. “The Finish Line scholarship was a godsend. It happened at exactly the right time.”

For Saul H., 21, college began with a simple goal: to continue playing the sport he loves. A student-athlete at Modesto Junior College (MJC), Saul is preparing to graduate in Summer 2026 with a degree in architectural engineering. He dreams of playing professional golf and becoming an architect for his family’s construction business. As a first-generation college student, Saul was initially unsure how to navigate higher education while competing at high-level. That changed when a high school teacher connected him with the golf coach at MJC. “I didn’t really have university options my senior year. I didn’t know how to talk to recruiters, but I knew I wanted to play my sport,” he said.

Saul joined the MJC golf team in 2023. There, he learned that balancing school, athletics, and work was not always easy. Saul credits the support of his professors, counselors, and the Finish Line Scholars Program with helping him progress in his degree. “MJC has been great. Even with my online classes, my professors are always available on Zoom or by email when I have questions,” he said. “The MJC athletic counselors also do a great job of helping me plan my course schedule with my training, explaining my classes, and keeping me on track toward graduation.”

This year, Saul qualified individually for Masters, the state golf championship, a milestone that reflected years of dedication and perseverance.

“I work two jobs. The Finish Line scholarship supported me a lot with my college career,” Saul said. “Making it to Masters took a lot of focus, and the scholarship allowed me to concentrate on that and my classes while also saving for emergencies.” As graduation approaches, Saul is exploring transfer opportunities at California State University (CSU), Monterey Bay; CSU Chico; and CSU Stanislaus.

During the 2024–25 academic year, the Finish Line Scholars Program supported a total of 3,132 scholars. Of those students, 1,482 scholarship recipients successfully completed their educational goals. The program distributed $4.7 million in funds to students during the year, contributing to a cumulative total of $22.9 million distributed since the program’s inception in 2020.

For a full list of participating colleges, visit FoundationCCC’s program page.

The Foundation for California Community Colleges works to benefit students, colleges, and communities by accelerating paths to economic and social mobility, strengthening communities, and reducing barriers to opportunities for all Californians. FoundationCCC is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1998. It serves as the official statewide nonprofit organization supporting the California Community Colleges, the largest system of higher education in the nation. For more information, visit www.foundationccc.org.