The Long Beach Community Foundation (LBCF) announced Friday the creation of a new scholarship fund to assist Black students attending Cal State Long Beach (CSULB).
The fund was made possible by a donation from Long Beach resident and community leader Roberta Jenkins.
The Roberta and Matthew Jenkins Scholarship Fund will cover school-related expenses including full tuition, books, room and board. The scholarship is for a four-year term with the ability to renew for a fifth year.
“This scholarship is a natural extension of our continued commitment to give back and is consequential in that it acknowledges that investing in our young people through time, energy and resources will have a positive and significant impact on their lives and the lives of others,” said Jenkins, in a statement from the LBCF.
Through this scholarship fund, the LBCF acknowledges that the intersection of race, poverty and systemic and structural inequality has had a consequential effect on Black students, who have a lower college graduation rate compared to other student groups.
In July 2022, CalMatters reported that among all Cal State graduates, the graduation rate for students not considered a minority (which includes white and Asian students) is 20% higher than the graduation rate for Black students.
Combined, the system’s 23 campuses graduate just half of Black students who enter as freshmen over a six-year period—well below the overall six-year average of 63%, according to the latest system data from 2021.
High school seniors will receive preference for the scholarship, but current college students and community college graduates will also be considered.
The LBCF will administer the scholarship and eligible students have until March 31 to apply. Eligibility requirements for students applying to the scholarship include:
- Must have applied to, have been accepted into or are currently attending CSULB
- Must reside in the Greater Long Beach area
- Must be a graduating high school senior or equivalent, a previous graduate from a public or private high school, or possess a General Educational Development (GED) certification
Jenkins and CSULB President Jane Close Conoley first approached the LBCF to administer the scholarship fund with the intention to address the inequity and economic challenges Black students face in the pursuit of a college education.
“It has been especially rewarding and an extreme pleasure to witness and be personally involved with advancing educational and cultural opportunities for Black youth in Long Beach,” said Jenkins, in a statement from the LBCF.
The goal of the fund will be to provide scholarships, support and resources to empower Black students pursuing their college degree in the Long Beach area.
The deadline for scholarship applications is 5 p.m. on March 31 and qualified students can apply at https://longbeachcf.org/scholarships. Those interested in learning more about the application can contact the LBCF’s Administration & Grants Manager Issis Vargas at issis@longbeachcf.org or 562-435-9033.
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