From College Dream to Degree: How Scholarships Are Rewriting Family Legacies

The Santa Barbara Unified School District’s Program for Effective Access to College (PEAC) held its annual PEAC Foundation Awards Night celebration at UC Santa Barbara, marking an inspiring night for college bound students as their college and university destinations were announced. It’s an evening of grand celebration recognizing the PEAC scholarship recipients who are often the first in their families to go to college.

Patricia Madrigal, president and CEO of the PEAC Foundation, applauded the collaborative network between PEAC, noting that the foundation has supported thousands of students over the past 14 years through deep institutional ties with Westmont College, UCSB, and Santa Barbara City College. “This is a celebration of community,” she said. “We are grateful for our community and university partners, who invest and support college and career pathways for our students. We couldn’t have done this work without you," Madrigal said.

The event honored eight PEAC high school seniors bound for Westmont, alongside Cindy Gonzalez, a graduate of the Westmont Downtown | Grotenhuis Nursing program. Highlighting the evening was the celebration of Jennifer Bautista Rodriguez ’26 and Jannet Rios Ochoa, PEAC students and the first recipients of $33,000 tuition funds through SBUSD and Westmont’s new residency program for students seeking a teaching credential and position in California public schools.

Superintendent Hilda Maldonado, assistant superintendent of human resources John Becchio, and Sally Hawkins, assistant professor of education at Westmont, were praised for the residency program and its focus on “growing our own”- the PEAC initiative to educate and retain Santa Barbara residents so they can impact their own communities.

The evening featured Westmont alumnus Aldo Becerril Garcia ’24 and PEAC advocate Celia Zanabria Barrera, who spotlighted the profound impact of donor support through PEAC and Westmont making a college dream affordable.

Barrera, an aspiring nurse, shared her journey as a Santa Barbara native and as a first-generation student. “Sometimes the strength of these words doesn't come from confidence. It comes from purpose,” Barrera said. “For me, that purpose started with my parents’ sacrifices and now continues to the opportunity to serve others.”

Irene Neller, Westmont’s vice president for enrollment marketing and communications, emphasized the unifying values and partnerships between PEAC, and other college bound programs that serve local families and students. “Students, families and communities are forever changed because of these commitments and scholarship partnerships,” Neller said. “What a privilege we have to serve our students as we each commit to ‘Growing Our Own’ — it’s truly life giving and an unforgettable evening celebration."