For alumnus Jonathan Islas, the Bronco Scholars program was the boost of confidence he needed the summer before starting at Cal Poly Pomona as a freshman.

The six-week, residential program gave the landscape architecture major the opportunity to transition smoothly into college-level courses and get ahead in credits. Perhaps even more importantly, it allowed him to get familiar with campus, make friends and reduce his anxiety about succeeding at college.

"Bronco Scholars continued to support me even well after my first year," Islas said. "They helped me open up during my time here and made my journey towards my degree much more enjoyable."

Bronco Scholars is only one of many programs in the Bronco Boost Initiative (BBI) - all sharing the goal of helping students, specifically ones from historically underrepresented and under-resourced communities, achieve their dream of earning a college degree.

More than 1,000 CPP students are currently participating in BBI programs - from Summer Bridge and Transfer Bridge, both of which focus on students successfully transitioning from high school or community college to CPP; to Summer Boost, which covers the cost of summer classes in six different general education areas; to Summer Completion Grants that cover tuition on summer classes for those close to graduation.

Monica G. Say Guerra received one of the Summer Completion Grants when she was an undergraduate student. She recently graduated with her master's in computer science.

"The grant I received gave me a lifeline to continue progressing toward my degree," said Guerra. "I wouldn't have reached the finish line if not for that."

The Bronco Boost Initiative continues to grow and many of its programs rely on donor support. Gifts can be made at https://give.cpp.edu/fye.