Maisin Scholar Awards Program Partners with 10,000 Degrees to Empower San Francisco Students to Achieve College Graduation
San Francisco, CA – On August 10, 2023, the Alexander M. and June L. Maisin Foundation (Maisin Foundation), a supporting foundation of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund (the Federation), announced a partnership with 10,000 Degrees to enhance educational opportunities for public school students in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).
Through this partnership, the Maisin Foundation will distribute approximately $1 million per year in scholarships, wraparound support services, and coaching to public school students in San Francisco to help them access and graduate from college. 10,000 Degrees, an organization dedicated to empowering Bay Area students from low-income backgrounds, will bring its expertise and support to maximize the impact of the Maisin Scholar Award Program.
By using near-peer support in high school and into college, 10,000 Degrees champions a college persistence model with high success rates for the students that it supports.
Since its inception in 2000, the Maisin Scholar Awards Program has supported SFUSD students, often the first in their families to attend college, who exhibit resilience and determination despite facing challenging circumstances.
“We are proud to work with 10,000 Degrees to add their wraparound services to our scholarships to help students navigate getting into and through college and achieving their goals,” says Maisin board chair Rick Schiller. “We share the Federation’s commitment to helping not only our own community but those in need beyond the Jewish community.”
10,000 Degrees has been recognized as an exemplary national model for programs that help historically underserved youth access and thrive in college. “We wanted to maximize the impact of the Maisin Scholars program on young people, and the powerful model and outstanding performance of 10,000 Degrees will allow us to do just that,” says Joy Sisisky, CEO of the Federation and board member of the Maisin Foundation. “80% of their students graduate and 90% with no debt, because 10,000 Degrees works with students to get all the Federal and State funds they are entitled to.”
Since the first cohort of 50 Maisin Scholars began in 2001, the program has evolved to meet the needs of the San Francisco community and the students it serves. The Maisin Foundation acknowledges the invaluable partnership with the San Francisco Education Fund over the past decade in managing the Maisin Scholars Program.
The Maisin Foundation was funded by Al Maisin, an immigrant who started from humble beginnings as a longshoreman and built a $110 million real estate portfolio. He wanted to help young people like himself, who had limited resources but the courage and drive to dream big. The new partnership with 10,000 Degrees ensures that Maisin’s legacy lives on benefiting countless students.
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The Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund harnesses innovation, collaboration, and investment to shape diverse and dynamic Bay Area Jewish communities where people find a meaningful connection to Judaism and one other; and where we work together to better lives and communities locally, in Israel, and around the world. Learn more at jewishfed.org.
10,000 Degrees® is California's leading, equity-focused scholarship provider and college success nonprofit that supports students from low-income backgrounds to and through college. For more information, visit www.10000degrees.org.
