The San Jose-Evergreen Community College District Foundation had the fifth annual fundraising on Sept 30, at the Trianon Theatre,

According to the SJECCD website, “The SJECCD Foundation is a 501C3 non-profit organization founded in 1982 focused on developing partnerships for financial support … for the students of the SJECC District.”

“The fund will be used for students’ future needs such as transfer fee,” said the host Steven Meneses, he is also the Chief Advancement Officer.

District Chancellor Deborah Budd said that the SJECCD foundation “ensures student success” by creating an “equity engine” that builds “community diversity”.

Byron Breland president of 95-year-old San Jose City College said that community colleges are not about research like the university system “it’s about job training ”and“ creating opportunity and equal access He further illustrated his point, by stating recipients of SJCC degrees transfer to universities such as: Xavier, Tuskegee, Spelman and Morehouse.

San Jose student Promise Program recipient Klayre Guzman Ortega said she appreciated the program very much. She said when she entered SJCC, she had weak learning skills. Her life in community college made her have great achievements she might never be able to have. Now she is going to graduate from UC Berkeley and planning to be a high school chemistry teacher.

Sophia Mai said she has also benefited from the foundation. She is one of the seven people who has won the scholarship in a certain semester at San Jose City College. “For some immigrant parents, they don’t have the financial support for their kids’ education,” Mai said, “the foundation helped me get through those situations and have a bright future.”

The main purpose of this event was letting students know the community cares about their education and inspire them.