This June, we proudly celebrated the achievements of 142 graduating seniors at the stunning new Intuit Dome. Joined by their families, mentors, and community members, our students marked the end of one transformative chapter and the beginning of another. The energy was electric, thanks in part to special performances by the Clippers Spirit Team and a dynamic drumline from Sidle Entertainment that set the tone for a day filled with pride and purpose.

Two standout student speakers, Dontrell Fletcher and Ticory Blu, inspired the audience with their powerful reflections and aspirations. Dontrell, this year’s Jordan Wings Scholar and a future English and Creative Writing major at UC Merced, shared his dream of becoming an author whose stories uplift and empower communities of color.

Ticory, a graduate of our Young Women’s Program and incoming UC Berkeley Political Science major, spoke passionately about her commitment to building youth-centered policies and programs that center and elevate Black voices.

This year marked our second time celebrating culmination with graduates from the Young Women’s Program, a credit-bearing course rooted in cultural identity, sisterhood, and liberation. Watching this powerful cohort stand together in solidarity was nothing short of inspiring, and a living testament to leadership, legacy, and the transformative power of community.

Graduates were honored with certificates, class stoles, medals, custom T-shirts, swag bags, and sneakers generously gifted through our ongoing partnership with Nike and Jordan Brand. To celebrate both students and their families, the event also featured a full catered breakfast and lunch, creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere that matched the joy and pride of the day.

This year’s graduating class reflected the full spectrum of our work, with students representing Urban Scholars, the Urban Health Fellowship, the Young Women’s Program, and even one proud graduate from The Fellowship Initiative.

From moving speeches to high-energy performances, Culmination 2025 was a celebration to remember. Relive the moments and watch the full recap video now.

Thanks to your generosity, 142 high school seniors are heading into their first year of college with real support behind them and a world of possibilities ahead.

Your contributions to the 2025 Scholarship Fund are helping cover the essentials: tuition, books, housing, transportation, and career development, everything students need to not just attend college, but truly thrive.

For many of these students who are Black and Brown youth, their bold dreams of college once felt out of reach. Today, they’re stepping into campuses across the country, ready to become engineers, entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, political scientists, lawyers, musicians, artists, and more.

Your continued support is changing lives and shifting futures. 

From the bottom of our hearts: thank you. You’re not just funding scholarships, you’re building legacies.

It’s going to be a different world for our rising seniors and new graduates!

We know firsthand how overwhelming the transition from high school to college can be. Whether it’s navigating academic expectations, managing independence, or finding the confidence to keep going, the journey isn’t easy. That’s why SJLI is committed to walking alongside our students every step of the way.

To ensure they’re equipped for the road ahead, we hosted our annual A Different World workshop at UC Santa Barbara. We hosted a three-day immersive experience designed to prepare students with the tools, knowledge, and support they need to succeed in the year to come and beyond.

Over the course of 72 hours, our graduating seniors participated in hands-on workshops focused on academic readiness, college planning, workforce development, and essential life skills. For our rising seniors, we offered deep-dive sessions on A-G vs. high school graduation requirements, differences between UC and CSU systems, application timelines, scholarship strategies, essay writing, and crafting strong letters of recommendation.

All 65 participants lived in the dorms, toured the UCSB campus, and accessed university resources, giving them a real taste of college life. True to our familyhood model, we also created space for connection and joy, with bonding activities like a bonfire, movie night, and team-building games.

And it made a difference. According to our post-workshop survey, 90% of students said the sessions were a valuable use of their time 88% felt supported by SJLI staff throughout the experience.



“I enjoyed learning and engaging in meaningful discussions about college,” one student shared. “The guest lecture really spoke to kids like me, and it was inspiring,” said another.

A Different World wasn’t just a workshop; it was a launchpad for dreams. And we’re proud to keep building that future together.

We extend our gratitude to our students, our exceptional Educational Equity staff, and UC Santa Barbara for their dedicated efforts.