Pathway to College Program



(click on logo)				We wish to thank Southwest Airlines for sponsoring our 2011 college tours to New York and Washington DC.


Pathway-to-College
"Our goal is to help you reach yours"

Click here to download a program brochure

Click here to view program newsletter
The Pathway to College Program (PTC) was created to prepare students in making a smooth, uncomplicated, and informed transition into college life. Through our program, students are introduced to universities and vocational institutions by way of: academic counseling, informational sessions, guest lectures, and college tours both in and out of the state. We tutor students in preparing personal statements, writing topic-specific essays, assisting with financial aid and scholarship applications .We also encourage students to demonstrate positive character attributes, through youth leadership. Moreover, we instruct youth to begin saving money by attending financial literacy workshops in order to become responsible, debt-free (or debt-managing )adults. These free services are offered from eighth grade students on up to insure that participants have an academic plan for success. As a result of one of many relationships formed with inspirational adult role models, we are able to offer the Pathway-to-College and its associated Scholarship Fund program. Many thanks and much love to EOYDC Board Member Ellen Wakeley and her associates from the Soroptimist International of the East Bay for volunteering their time along with the initial, (and the reliably consistent), funding to help jump start this wonderful program. Over the years we have gone on to create a special fundraiser to celebrate and award scholarships to our college bound students. The event, Something For Everyone, not only provides us with essential funding so that we can help our growing list of college bound applicants, it also allows us to take selected candidates on college tours to campuses nationwide. We also enjoy the honor of being selected to facilitate exposure to Historic Black Colleges and Universities Tours.

Our goal here at the EOYDC is to allow students to feel supported in their goals, and to help build a framework towards which they may be able to direct their future. We make available current resources such as college catalogs, applications, brochures, and schedules for specific colleges. We offer informational workshops on preparing for college, financial aid, available scholarships and time management. We also have test preparation material for the GED along with both SAT and ACT exams. We also host an annual College Fair. The fair allows the participants a face to face opportunity to network and receive information from representatives of various post-secondary institutions. They can vary from UC Berkeley to Heald College, from the Culinary Academy to the College of Arts and Crafts. Another very important aspect of Pathway-to-College is to allow students the opportunity to visit college campuses personally. Since 2005, the EOYDC has provided College Tours for some of its Pathway-to-College students based upon budgetary opportunities. We have provided individual tours to Washington DC and New York. We have partnered through the Marcus Foster Educational Institute to send students on the Rainbow PUSH Excel Tour sponsored through Rev. Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Push organization. (click here for Mr. Jackson's visit) Through the generous sponsorship of Oakland Raider Cornerback,Nnamdi Asomugha, we have provided college tours, through his The Asomugha College Tour (ACT) program. He has led tours to HBCU schools in Atlanta, as well as, Colleges and Universities in Boston and Rhode Island. We are very proud to have the opportunity to expose our students to potential schools of their choice through the college tour experience" We thank all our funders for this tremendous offering! In 2010 we were proud to welcome the full sponsorship of Southwest Airlines for our New York and Washington DC college tours. Each program participant is provided an in-house created Pathway-to-College Handbook. This handbook details information regarding admission requirements, the application process, assessment tests, the college admissions essay, the appeals process, financial aid, how to transfer, and a calendar of important dates and deadlines to help the individual plan out their path. It is our belief that if the guidelines provided in the handbook are followed, they can help the high school or GED student better their chances of getting accepted to the college they desire. Annually we produce a PTC Newsletter and a PTC Annual Report to provide students highlights, scholarship search information and frequently reported challenges and resolutions. Going to college will not just help your career; it will also help your life. For practical reasons, college will definitely allow you more job opportunities and enable you to earn more money. It will allow you to expand your knowledge and skills, express your thoughts clearly in speech and in writing, grasp abstract concepts and theories, and increase your understanding of the world and your community. These rewards are invaluable, and through the Pathway-to-College program here at the EOYDC, our goal is to help you reach yours. Finally, and simply put, The Pathway-to-College program is designed to make applying to a college easier. Your continued generous funding will enable us to provide resources for the aspiring student who is interested in pursuing their educational goals through any type of college, from private to vocational. For more information on how to make a donation, and become part of the solution, contact our Pathway-to-College Coordinator at:(510) 569-8088.



Past EOYDC Scholarship Recipients By Year


Past College Tours By Year




Regina Jackson Scholarship Award Recipients (click here)