MVLA Scholars

MVLA Community Scholars was founded in 2000. Since its inception, it has provided scholarships to more than 225 students from the Mountain View – Los Altos High School District. It currently funds 75 college students, most of whom are first-generation college students, and each of whom has a powerful life story.

Most of the students attend in-state colleges – primarily UCs, CSUs and local community colleges, along with a few private universities. The recipient awards range from $1000 to $6000 per year.

The mentors work closely with their Scholars, providing support and encouragement. The mentors help the Scholars set budgets, manage their time, and choose their courses. The Scholars Program is unique in providing not only scholarships but also a personal mentor and a community of support through events, workshops and newsletters. More than 100 volunteers are engaged in mentoring, scholarship selection and program oversight, and over 100 donors contribute to the annual fund that supports each class of Scholars. The program’s founding assumption is that with the confidence of the community behind them, the Scholars are more likely to succeed.

Jose Antonio Vargas (SFSU ’04), a former reporter for The Washington Post and Pulitzer Prize winner for coverage of the Virginia Tech shootings, was one of our early Scholars.