The San Diego Community College District this fall is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its groundbreaking San Diego Promise program that has successfully expanded higher education pathways to students facing financial barriers in reaching their academic and career goals.
The numbers speak for themselves. What began as a pilot program of 186 students in
fall 2016 has grown into an initiative that now accepts more than 3,500 new students
annually and has served 19,513 students through the 2025-26 academic year. A new analysis
by labor market analytics firm Lightcast estimates San Diego Promise alumni have generated
more than $640 million in added personal income and $352 million in added business
income, while saving the region $18.2 million in reduced societal costs — a combined
economic impact exceeding $1 billion.
Inspired by President Barack Obama’s 2015 State of the Union address where he proposed
making the first two years of community college education tuition-free, the San Diego
Promise provides eligible students at San Diego City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges with
up to two years of free tuition and health fees, along with dedicated counselors,
mentors, and book grants for students with demonstrated financial need.
“When we launched it 10 years ago, we believed that removing the cost of college would open doors for students who had the drive but not always the means.”
Chancellor Emerita Constance M. Carroll
“The San Diego Promise is more than a scholarship; it's a long-term investment in the people, potential, and prosperity of San Diego County,” said SDCCD Chancellor Emerita Constance M. Carroll, who was the driving force in creating the program. “When we launched it 10 years ago, we believed that removing the cost of college would open doors for students who had the drive but not always the means. A decade later, the thousands of graduates who've gone on to build careers and lead in their communities are proof that investment pays returns for generations.”
Jerusalen Davila, who grew up in City Heights, embodies the program’s impact. After graduating from Hoover High School, she attended San Diego City College and is now a second-year doctoral student at UCLA.
“The San Diego Promise gave me the financial security and the mentors I needed,” she said. “When I got to City, there were people who were willing to help me, there were spaces that welcomed me. I had a support system in place already.”
The San Diego Promise also helped Ana Zavala Li-Ho begin her pathway toward a career in biotechnology. She said she was neither financially nor academically prepared for a four-year program after graduating from Scripps Ranch High School, so she instead enrolled at Miramar College, transferred to UC San Diego for a bachelor’s degree in biology, and began her career as laboratory technician at a San Diego biotech company. “This wouldn’t have happened without the Promise,” Li-Ho said.
The San Diego Promise combines state funding and philanthropic support to expand access to tuition-free education for eligible students and to provide additional assistance to students who may not qualify for state funding. The program has benefitted from individuals such as former Padres owners Ron Fowler and Peter and Sheel Seidler, whose early contributions helped elevate the program's profile. Mesa College graduate and Academy Award nominee Annette Bening served as featured speaker at an early Promise gala that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, funding several “Annette Bening Scholarships” for Promise students. Costco co-founder and City College alumnus Jim Sinegal was an early contributor, and philanthropist Roger Frey became the district's largest donor in history after stepping forward on multiple occasions. Equally important were the donations of many SDCCD faculty, staff and administrators who saw firsthand how the program could transform lives.
Including corporate gifts from partners such as U.S. Bank, the San Diego Promise has raised nearly $3.5 million in philanthropic support since 2016.
The program also received a boost in 2017, when former Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 19, establishing the statewide California College Promise to help fund local programs. This year the district's three colleges are budgeted to receive a combined $3,866,430 in AB 19 funding. Then in 2019, Assembly Bill 2 expanded the statewide program to cover second-year students, freeing district donor funds to help part-time and returning students and expand book and supply grants.
“Ten years and thousands of graduates later, the San Diego Promise has proven to be of the most important investments this district has ever made.”
SDCCD Chancellor Gregory Smith
“One of the largest groups we're seeing now is active-duty military, veterans, and
military dependents,” said Andrew ‘Luke’ Menchaca, Dean of Outreach and Student Affairs.
“Philanthropic support allows us to support students who would otherwise not qualify
for state funding.”
“Ten years and thousands of graduates later, the San Diego Promise has proven to be
of the most important investments this district has ever made,” said SDCCD Chancellor
Gregory Smith. “What started as a commitment to just under 200 students has grown
into a promise kept for some 3,500 students every year. Every one of their stories
is a reminder of what's possible when we remove the barriers standing between a student
and their degree. As we look to the next decade, we imagine what could be if we expand
the Promise to every member of our community.”
A year-long celebration kicks off with SDCCD's annual "Keeping the Promise" giving day on Oct. 27 and concludes with a major fundraising gala in fall 2027. To support the
program, visit San Diego Promise or contact Isiah Bell at [email protected].