Eight KIPP SoCal Alumni are Each Recognized with a $60,000 National Scholarship

Eight KIPP SoCal Alumni are Each Recognized with a $60,000 National Scholarship

“I was at the edge of my seat, my eyes flared with excitement, and I bursted with joy,” said Lonneshia Webb, KIPP SoCal’s Director of KIPP Through College (KTC), when the scholarship decisions came in for our eight alumni residing in East LA, South LA, South Gate and San Diego.

As we celebrate all of our college-bound KIPPsters, we are thrilled to announce three new cohorts of scholarship winners! Selected from hundreds of applicants nationwide, our 2022 Amplify, Goldberg and Rales scholarship recipients are each receiving $60,000 to defray college costs, plus one-on-one mentorship, and more throughout their higher education journey to ensure that they have the necessary resources to attend and graduate from the college or university of their choice.

Seeing the increase of scholarship winners over the years is inspirational as our alumni, families, and team prove the possible,” added Ms. Webb. With our alumni's college matriculation rate 30% higher than their national peers, this year we have alumni attending colleges across the U.S. from CSUN, UCLA to the University of Utah to Barnard College and Yale University, plus more!

“With a deep passion, our KTC counselors support our students and alumni to find the path that’s meaningful to them and we provide this personalized support as early as middle school,” shared Ms. Webb. And now, many of our alumni are well on their way to pursue the passions they’ve dreamt of and become the even more impactful change agents we see in them. 

Take a peek at these candid moments with our eight KIPP SoCal alumni when they get the news that they each have been awarded a $60,000 national college scholarship. Watch it once, watch it twice, or even a few times…we know we have! 

“On behalf of the KIPP SoCal community, we are all so proud of you, KIPPsters! We are excited for the many great things that will come as you embark on this new journey,” noted Ms. Webb. Now, let’s take a deeper dive as we spotlight our 2022 Amplify, Goldberg and Rales scholarship recipients.


Amplify Scholars

Three KIPP SoCal alumni have been named Amplify Scholars for 2022! Created in partnership between KIPP and iMentor, the Amplify Scholarship Program is now in its fourth year and recognizes college-bound KIPP students nationwide who have demonstrated excellence in academics and leadership. 

Amplify Scholars Will Receive:

  • Stipends for critical expenses outside of tuition and room & board
  • A one-on-one mentor who will support them through their educational and professional pathways
  • An invitation to the Amplify Scholars Academy, an annual 3-day retreat in New York City
  • Programming, events, and resources differentiated by year to ensure scholars persist and succeed throughout their college journey
  • Intentional opportunities to build community with fellow scholars through Zoom hangouts, the Amplify Scholars Book Club, and Affinity Groups

Did you know that “students in the iMentor program graduate college at nearly double the rate of their peers?” Check out our 2022 Amplify scholars:

Meet Amplify Scholarship Recipient, Oswaldo D!

Oswaldo is a KIPP Adelante Preparatory Academy and High Tech High Media Arts alumnus. He is a proud son to immigrant parents who have given him the opportunity to dream and further his education. Oswaldo is interested in community development and the field of engineering which is why he will be pursuing a career in civil engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He plans to build bridges, buildings, and highways, but mainly, he is determined to build a bridge connecting underrepresented communities to the endless amount of resources that have not always been there for minorities.


Meet Amplify Scholarship Recipient, Cianna H!

Cianna is a KIPP Los Angeles College Preparatory and Felicitas & Gonzalo Mendez High School alumna from Boyle Heights, CA. She plans to major in business marketing at California State University, Northridge in hopes to make the fashion industry more inclusive. While in high school, Cianna was the yearbook editor-in-chief, a member of the Self Love Club, head of Set Design in Theater, and created a mural at the Geffen Playhouse titled, “Solidarity Through Art & Unity.” She is passionate about the arts and expresses her creativity through fashion. Hearing people around her say, “shopping for my body type is a struggle,” fueled her passion to provide the change many desire. Her goal is to make everyone feel beautiful through what they wear and be represented in the fashion world.


Meet Amplify Scholarship Recipient, Marysol H!

Marysol is KIPP Philosophers Academy alumna and a senior at Alliance Margaret M. Bloomfield High School. She is a member of the National Honor Society, her high school’s soccer team, and the senior committee. Marysol will be the first in her family to go to college. She plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in accounting at the University of Utah. Marysol’s resilience is evident as she grew up without her parents and supported her grandmother in raising her brothers and cousins. Being the eldest taught her numerous leadership skills, which she aims to apply while at the university and desires to one day establish her own organization that assists systemically under-resourced families.

“The talented young people in this Amplify class inspire me with their leadership, their perseverance, and their excellence,” said Heather Wathington, iMentor CEO. “At iMentor, we see each day how mentoring relationships have the power to transform individual lives, and we are eager for our [KIPP SoCal] scholars to achieve their highest aspirations with the financial and mentorship support of the Amplify Scholarship. We need their voices and ideas to shape our world; we need them to lead our communities to meet tomorrow’s challenges!”

Goldberg Scholars

The 2022 Goldberg Scholars cohort also includes three of our very own KIPP SoCal alumni. Created in partnership between KIPP and the Sheryl Sandberg and Dave Goldberg Family Foundation, the Goldberg Scholars Program supports graduating seniors who embody Dave’s legacy of leadership, resilience, achievement, character, and entrepreneurial spirit.

Goldberg Scholars Will Receive:

  • Stipends for critical expenses outside of tuition and room & board that are necessary for a successful college career.
  • A Goldberg Mentor who will provide advice and ongoing support throughout the duration of the scholarship.
  • Support from the Goldberg Connectors, a network of professionals who will help students secure summer internships and job opportunities.
  • An invitation to attend a leadership weekend to engage in professional development, build skills, and connect with other Goldberg Scholars, mentors, and industry influencers.

Interested in learning more about our 2022 Goldberg scholars? Take a look at their profiles below:

Meet Goldberg Scholarship Recipient, Nathalie C!

Nathalie is an alumna from KIPP Academy of Innovation and East College Prep High School. She aspires to major in public policy at UCLA. Nathalie is passionate about coding and hopes to create websites that educate women on consent and violence prevention. During high school, she was an active member of the East Los Angeles Women’s Center, Latinx Student Union, and the ACLU youth liberty squad, where she led campaigns and advocated for her community. In addition, she plans to grow her skincare business to help people feel empowered so they enter spaces confidently. She will be the first in her family to attend college!


Meet Goldberg Scholarship Recipient, Roslyn M!

Roslyn, an alumna from KIPP Academy of Opportunity and Middle College High School, intends to major in psychology at UCLA and hopes to get her master’s degree in clinical research. She wants to continue her studies and learn more about the scientific nature of psychology and develop new ways to improve this department. Along with her academic excellence, she was co-captain of the girls volleyball team which helped build her leadership skills. She also created a wellness club dedicated to bringing mental health awareness to her high school. In this club, she became a mentor to the underclassmen dealing with any issues. During her spare time, she helped first- and second-year students with their classes.


Meet Goldberg Scholarship Recipient, Joshua P!

Joshua, a KIPP Academy of Innovation and an Esperanza College Prep alumnus, will be first in his family to attend college and plans to major in business administration and marketing at the University of Connecticut. His goal is to learn and understand the foundations of being a business owner in hopes to later help small businesses in his community. Joshua is the senior class President in student government and is the captain of Esperanza’s cheerleading team. When he is not at school for extracurriculars, he spends his time managing a small baking business. He loves exploring different careers by volunteering at his local library where he helps kids grow a passion for reading at the Summer Discovery Booth and assists in guest speaker presentations that teach kids different jobs in the workforce. In addition, he advocates for the members of his community by helping them overcome and end police brutality through protesting for change.

“As we welcome the newest class of Goldberg Scholars…, I am filled with so much pride for all that these students have accomplished,” shared Sheryl Sandberg, Meta COO and founder of Lean In and Option B. “There is no better way to honor [Dave’s] memory than to see the impact these students will have in the world.” 

Rales Scholars

Last but not least, we have two KIPP SoCal alumni who are part of the first cohort of the Rales Scholars Program and will receive up to $60,000 over the four years of their undergraduate career. The Norman and Ruth Rales Foundation and the KIPP Foundation have partnered to create this annual Rales Scholars Program.

Rales Scholars Will Receive:

  • Internship placement: Scholars will work with the Rales Scholars Program team to identify meaningful internship opportunities and receive support in finalizing internship placement.
  • Alumni mentorship and connection: Rales Scholars will engage in the broader alumni network (over 45,000 and growing) and be mentored by and connected to older alumni.
  • Leadership Weekend: All scholars will attend an annual leadership summit in the summer, which will foster connections across the Rales Scholars community and develop scholars into agents of change across the country.
  • Financial Literacy: Scholars will receive training on personal finance planning and budgeting.
  • Resource Library: Access to resume and cover letter templates as well as mock interview resources.

Check out our impressive Rales scholars who are exceptional community leaders with great career aspirations. 

Meet Rales Scholarship Recipient, Cionnie P!

Cionnie, a senior at Harvard Westlake and KIPP Academy of Innovation alumna, intends to major in engineering through the 4+1 joint program between Barnard and Columbia. She aspires to bring light to the intersectionality between the STEM field and social justice by approaching projects with a goal: give back to BIPOC communities. Cionnie is co-chair of the Latiné and Women of Color affinity groups, the Student Ambassador program, and the coalition of students for diversity, equity, and inclusion. She participated on a Beach FC Division 1 team and on the Varsity Soccer Team where she won CIF State and Regional Division 1 titles. To add, Cionnie has tutored and mentored students at KIPP Academy of Innovation and KIPP Corazón Academy. She was also a Spotlight recipient which honors high achieving students on financial aid who have created an impact on the Harvard Westlake community.


Meet Rales Scholarship Recipient, Erick T!  

Erick, a KIPP Los Angeles College Preparatory alumnus and a senior at Math Science and Technology Academy at Roosevelt High School, intends to double major in Environmental Engineering with a concentration in Chemistry and Sociology. As an aspiring Environmental Chemistry Professor, he hopes to develop comprehensive solutions to ecological problems plaguing polluted communities. Erick is captain of the Varsity Waterpolo and Swim Teams, a member of MEChA, and a USC Bovard Scholar. In addition to excelling in his schoolwork, Erick has been recognized at the state and city level by assembly members Luz Rivas and Monica Rodriguez for volunteering with local nonprofit organizations providing support to marginalized communities.


“Seeing our KIPPsters’ success refuels the ‘why,’ the why we at the KTC team have signed up to do this work. We want our students to see all the possibilities,” stressed Webb. “This drive is grounded in our own experiences as many of us can relate to several of our alumni’s stories. For example, many of us on the team are first generation college graduates that lived within a zip code where society created barriers for us and tried to define our destiny. That’s why we do this work with great authenticity — to break down those barriers and truly help create a future without limits!

“I hope this big accomplishment allows our alumni to continue to step into their power and see that the work that they have accomplished will help support the choice-filled life that they desire,” said Ms. Webb.

All in all, we stand behind our alumni and families and continue rallying for our KIPPsters who will soon be taking their first steps as college freshmen. “KTC counselors will continue to be here for you,” shared Ms. Webb. “You will be great! Let’s keep it going, KIPPsters!!!


Learn more about our empowered alumni and our KIPP Through College Program providing structured support focused on college readiness, persistence, completion, and career success. 

Celebrating Our Impact