The Promise Fellowship program supports first-generation college graduates from low-income households

Now in the third year, the graduate division Promise Fellowship Program at UC Santa Barbara provides first-generation students from low-income households with financial assistance to pursue a higher education.

“If anyone ever doubted the impact the Promise Fellowship Program would have, all they had to do was follow the recipients of the first fellowships,” said Leila J. Rupp, interim Anne and Michael Towbes Graduate Dean. “The program has shown what it means when students who may never have dreamed of earning a degree are given the opportunity to show what they can do.”

The new class of fellows are all incoming graduate students: Zackary Glazewski (Computer Science), Joshua Hopkins (Technology Management Program), Gina Milan (Teacher Education Program), Esmeralda Morales (Education) and Gil Sia (Electrical and Computer Engineering). Promise Fellows who complete a master’s degree will receive a stipend and have tuition and fees covered; PhD applicants fully funded by their departments will receive an additional $8,000 in each of their first three summers.

Promise Fellowship alumni have gone on to pursue jobs and further academic study in their chosen field. “The fellowship funded everything from tuition and fees to housing costs and other personal expenses for the duration of my program,” said Erik Magaña, a 2023 Promise Fellow who now works as a Spanish teacher in the Santa Barbara Unified School District. “Because TEP has a large time commitment, there was very little time to work outside the program. Although I had a small part-time job for additional expenses, the fellowship fully funded the essentials I needed to be successful in the program. This also meant I didn’t have to take out loans.” Magaña said he is graduating debt-free thanks to the Promise Fellowship program.

Elena Barragan, one of the first two Promise Fellows of 2022, is now a kindergarten teacher in Riverside, California. “Growing up in poverty with the dream of becoming an elementary school teacher to strengthen the education system for students like me, but without financial resources, the means to do this remained a challenge throughout my life,” she said. “I was fortunate to be awarded a Promise Fellowship at a pivotal time in my life, which allowed me to pursue my master’s degree in education while obtaining my teaching credential.”

Like Barragan and Magaña, new winners Milan and Morales are considering a career in education. “After graduating, I hope to immediately start teaching full-time at an elementary school here in Santa Barbara,” says Milan, who received support to complete her bachelor’s degree through the Promise Scholars Program for students. “All of my courses and student teaching experiences within the UCSB Teacher’s Education Program to date have been absolutely enlightening and encouraging. My love for my career has only grown exponentially, and I am deeply in awe of the opportunity to continue learning valuable knowledge and skills from my dream school.”

Morales currently works at UCSB as an undergraduate advisor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. “My personal experiences have given me a deep appreciation for the role of education in breaking the cycle of socio-economic challenges and promoting understanding among diverse communities,” she said. “I am eager to bring my unique perspective to the academic discourse, with a commitment to promoting empathy, inclusivity, and equitable educational opportunities for all, especially for rural Latinx students.”

With an advanced degree, Morales feels empowered to help students. “The ability to guide Chicanx/Latinx students from rural backgrounds as they transition to higher education and throughout their college education, while maintaining their family ties and practicing cultural traditions, is of great importance to me and is an under-researched area in educational research. she said. “I look forward to working with the teachers at the Ministry of Education to generate a scholarship that answers my research questions.”

Two of the 2024-2025 fellows, Sia and Glazewski, are pursuing master’s degrees in engineering. Glazewski thrived during his undergraduate years by participating in the Early Research Scholars Program and working as an undergraduate teaching assistant. As a student in the Department of Computer Science’s five-year MS/BS program, he noted that receiving the Promise Fellowship helped alleviate concerns about obtaining his advanced degree. “I come from a low-income background, so my first thought when making a decision to continue studying is whether it is financially feasible or not,” he said. “This fellowship will give me the time, security and confidence I need to achieve success in my academic endeavors.”

According to previous award winners, the fellowship also provides the freedom to explore career options in their respective fields while in graduate school. Anthony Boutros, a 2023 fellow, is now pursuing his doctorate in materials science at the University of Southern California. “The grant allowed me to focus on my research and classes without having to worry about finding a job to pay the rent,” he said. “It has really made it easier for me to be able to focus on school without any other distractions, which I am very grateful for.”

That sentiment is echoed by Michael Zargari, a 2022 Promise Fellow who graduated in 2023 with his master’s degree in environmental data science. “The fellowship allowed me to focus on my studies and apply for positions early in the year,” he said. “I was able to complete my master’s degree with confidence, because I had no debts! This allowed me to succeed in my program while still participating on campus and secure a job in the fall quarter.” He now works as a quantitative analysis associate at Wells Fargo.

Rosemary Juarez, an alumnus of the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management who received a Promise Fellowship for 2023, said it gave her the confidence to complete a rigorous program. “I cannot emphasize enough how monumental receiving a Promise Fellowship was not only for my educational journey, but also for the prospects of my future,” she said.

Helping future generations succeed is a goal for Hopkins, the 2024 winner. After graduating in statistics and data science, he decided to apply for the master’s program in Technology Management. “Even though my daughter tells me I am the best dad in the world (a bit biased, but I am honored), receiving the Promise Fellowship made me feel like I was being recognized at the highest level,” he said. “I was also relieved to know I could focus on my studies without the constant worry of financial survival.”