Guardian Scholars posed on a porch, most in black shirts, one seated wearing a blue shirt

UC Davis Guardian Scholars Celebrates 20 Years

  • by Elizabeth Cooley

The UC Davis Guardian Scholars Program (GSP) is celebrating 20 years of helping students with lived experiences in foster care, child welfare or out-of-home placement achieve their educational goals. Since its founding, 500 students have graduated with the program’s support. This anniversary recognizes their achievements as well as the staff, mentors and campus partners who have contributed to the program’s success.

Two Guardian Scholars students pose for a photo

In the early 2000s, colleges began recognizing the challenges students with foster care experience faced in pursuing higher education and the limited support available to them. Many students were navigating college without consistent family or financial support, often while managing the effects of childhood adversity. These needs prompted efforts to establish dedicated services at UC Davis and other universities.

In 2006, the University of California Regents’ Committee on Education and Policy encouraged UC campuses to provide support services for foster youth. That same year, UC Davis received a planning grant from the Walter S. Johnson Foundation to develop those services. By spring 2007, the campus had identified an initial group of 17 students with foster care experience.

During the following academic year, GSP hired its first staff coordinator, Valeri Garcia, who continues to lead the program today as director. A three-year grant from the Stuart Foundation supported the development of a comprehensive program from 2008 through 2011. Across the UC system, the addition of a self-identification question to the application in 2007–08 helped campuses identify current and former foster youth. Subsequent legislation expanded access to priority registration for eligible students, providing further support for their academic progress.

Today, GSP serves 200 students, providing individualized advising and support from their transition to UC Davis through graduation and post-graduation planning. Staff help students navigate campus and community resources, develop essential skills and connect with peers. The program also provides academic guidance and assistance with essential needs, including food and housing support during university holidays and other transitional periods.

These services address circumstances that can make completing a degree more difficult. Many Guardian Scholars are first-generation college students, and most are considered independent for financial aid purposes, relying on financial aid, scholarships or employment to support themselves. Through holistic, trauma-informed advising, GSP helps students address challenges while pursuing their academic and personal goals.

The program also helps students prepare for life after graduation. Through mentorship, enrichment activities, experiential learning and professional partnerships, scholars can explore their interests and gain experience that supports their next steps. Staff work with students to plan for careers, graduate school and professional school.

Two Guardian Scholars students seated on a blue hammock in a park.

State funding through the Budget Act of 2022 allowed GSP to expand its staff, services and financial support. The program now has a dedicated team of four staff members, along with student program assistants and student special project assistants. In fall 2024, the opening of the Guardian Scholars Program Center in 16 South Hall provided a dedicated space for students to study, connect with peers, meet with staff and peer advisors and attend events. The center also houses pantries with food, hygiene items, school supplies and other necessities.

Over the past two decades, GSP has grown from serving its initial group of 17 students to supporting scholars from their first year of college through graduate and professional school. Its growth has strengthened the university’s ability to meet students’ needs, while the accomplishments of its 500 graduates demonstrate the impact of sustained support and students’ dedication to their goals.

Later this year, GSP will hold a 20th anniversary celebration with current students, alumni, campus staff, mentors, university leadership and donors. The event will recognize students’ accomplishments, celebrate the people who have supported the program and reaffirm its commitment to helping scholars succeed at UC Davis and beyond.

Stay Connected and Get Involved with the Guardians Scholar Program

Follow the Guardian Scholars Program on Instagram at @ucdavisgsp to meet current students and alumni and learn more about their experiences and accomplishments.

Those interested in supporting the program can become a Friend of the Guardian Scholars Program, serve as a mentor or attend a Foster Youth Ally Training.