Why enroll full-time in college courses? More financial aid, faster graduation time, earlier start to your career, less stress, and more connections.
As a sociology major at California State University, Stanislaus, Jezebelle Maldonado (she/her) chose an undergraduate research topic that wasn’t just about academics. It was personal. Now a first-generation college graduate with a bachelor’s degree to her name, Jezebelle is working in the healthcare field as a behavior technician and is considering a master’s degree in the future. “One thing I am taking with me from college is to not be afraid to build connections,” she said
Congrats, you’ve made it to college! As you make the most of your college experience, you’ll need a plan to reach college graduation – on time, with as little debt as possible, and ready for your first job. Here are the steps you can take – and revisit each term – to stay on track to reaching your college degree.
From navigating the first week of college to negotiating a first job offer, conversations between students and coaches cover many topics. A coach becomes a student’s trusted advocate, their cheerleader, the person they turn to for both wins and failures, and a person they trust to help plan their future.
A first-gen college graduate, Estefan Cervantes obtained three corporate internships during his time at Northeastern University. “I’m looking forward to being financially stable and having the ability to explore the world,” he shared reflecting on his higher education journey and next steps after graduating from Northeastern debt-free thanks to the Making Waves scholarship.
“College and post-college can become a jumbled and confusing road. But the structure from Making Waves makes it all possible,” shared Abraham Segura (he/him), a first-gen grad who followed his passions and earned his degree from San Francisco State.
89 Bay Area students from low-income backgrounds earned $2.3 million total in college scholarships and are paired with Making Waves college coaches, financial coordinators, and career specialists.
At the 10th Making Waves Academy graduation ceremony in June 2024, Student Body President Simren Sandhu, Salutatorian Yoltzin Wallace, and Valedictorian Alessandro Torres gave compassionate speeches about their educational journeys.
College seniors in the Class of 2024 reflect on why they pursued higher education, how they found community, career experience, and connections – and what they’re exploring post-grad.
During the 2022-23 academic year, more than 110 of our students received their degrees from more than 25 universities, with nearly 90% of our college graduates this year earning their degrees debt-free.
Making Waves Education Foundation welcomed 15 recent Pittsburg High School graduates into its college and career success program, which provides scholarships and partners each student with a college coach, financial coordinator, and career specialist.
“Whatever you want to be in life, be the best you can be at it,” shared Allison Cubillas, a first-gen graduate from UC San Diego who graduated debt-free and started a full-time role at Meketa Investment Group.
