Cañada College Raises $50,000 to Support Students Daily Needs

Cañada College hosted its Fourth Annual President’s Luncheon virtually on November 2. The goal of the President’s Luncheon is to raise funds to support the basic daily needs of students so they can become successful in achieving their educational goals. As a college, Cañada is dedicated to serving its students and has found that student needs continue to be exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. The event raised $50,000 towards the Cañada College President's Fund and will help pay for groceries, food vouchers, Chromebooks and hot spots for Cañada students. 

Community members, education partners and local elected representatives from throughout San Mateo County joined the President’s Luncheon, virtually, to hear about the essential needs of our students. The event was hosted by Cañada’s President’s Advisory Group, which led the charge in raising funds to support student success. Cañada College was fortunate to partner with many community sponsors including: Facebook, Kaiser Permanente, Chamber San Mateo County, Greystar and Stanford University to name a few. 

Since the pandemic started, the number of students enrolling at community colleges across the country has dropped precipitously: 14 percent statewide since fall 2019. Cañada College experienced a decline of seven percent over the same period. Reasons for stopping out cited by stopped out students Districtwide include: preferring not to enroll in online classes, prioritizing working for pay and prioritizing the care of children and other family members. When asked what the top three things the District could do to support their return, these students cited better scheduling options, being able to get the courses they want when they want them, as well as needing financial support and help choosing courses and programs. Holding events such as the President’s Luncheon, can help demonstrate to the community what resources students need to continue their studies.

During the President’s Luncheon, attendees had the honor of hearing from several Cañada students who shared their personal experiences at Cañada College and how relying on the school’s resources helped them on their educational journey and where they are continuing in the future. Jeison Velasquez, Aimee Kanadijan, and Brittney Samora-Delgadillo spoke and shared their stories that demonstrated their resilience, hard work, and pride in being a (current or former) Cañada student.

Jeison is now the Vice President of the Associated Students of Cañada College who has made a tremendous impact on our community and helps all students. He shared that he originally left Cañada College but returned years later when he received the support of the financial aid he needed. 

Aimee completed the Honors Program and transferred from Cañada College to UCLA with the help of counselors, financial aid, and her engagement with student government and clubs.  She plans to graduate from UCLA with a degree in Psychology.

Brittney is planning to transfer this year to study Psychology. She shared how support from Cañada helped her make the best of her situation during the pandemic so she could support herself and those in her community with help from counselors, tutors and financial aid. 

The adage “from here you can go anywhere” rings true when these success stories of Cañada College students is considered. With the support of the President’s Advisory Group and the more than 100 attendees logging into the event – including all of the District’s Board of Trustees members - and the College achieved its $50,000 fundraising goal to support students’ daily basic needs. A recorded version of the President’s Luncheon can be viewed here.