10,000 Degrees® is the leading, equity-focused scholarship provider and college success nonprofit in California.
Who We Serve
We support 12,000+ students and families across seven Bay Area counties:
San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara.
100%
Low-income backgrounds
89%
Black, Indigenous, Latinx & People of Color
85%
First generation to attend college
How We Do It & How We’re Different
We believe in the potential of all students.
Unlike other college support organizations, there is no GPA or test score requirement to participate. Our approach is equity-focused, student-centered, and strength-based.
An innovative Fellowship program.
Guided by our knowledgeable Program Managers, our Fellows are recent college graduates and mostly 10,000 Degrees alumni who share lived experiences and backgrounds with our students. Their deep content expertise and strength-based approach allow these near-peer mentors to connect meaningfully with students to help them navigate their college success journey.
Strong community college pathway.
Whether our students aim to graduate from a community college or transfer to a four-year institution, our teams provide broad community college support.
Comprehensive support to and through college.
We continuously customize and adapt to meet the needs of students, schools, and communities to provide wraparound support; college pathways awareness & preparation; college & financial aid advising and navigation; scholarships & financial aid management; college success support; community college transfer support; career & graduate school readiness; and alumni success.
Core Values
We Believe
- In the great potential of all students
- Every student should have equitable opportunities to a quality education and to graduate from college
- All our students and alumni are changemakers
- A college degree changes lives, families, and entire communities
- Education is the foundation of a just and equitable society
What We Do
Support to, Through, and Beyond College
- College Pathways Awareness & Preparation
- College & Financial Aid Advising and Navigation
- Scholarships & Financial Aid Management
- College Success Support
- Community College Transfer Support
- Career & Graduate School Readiness
- Alumni Success
How We Do it
Equity-Focused, Student-Centered, and Strength-Based
- No GPA or Test Score Requirement
- Innovative Fellowship Program
- Near-Peer Coaching
- Embedded on Campuses & Virtually
- Community, High School & Post-Secondary Partnerships
- Campus Practitioner Workshops & Training
Our Impact By the Numbers
13% of students nationwide from low-income backgrounds earn bachelor’s degrees by age 24 versus 62% of their wealthy peers.* 10,000 Degrees graduation rates far exceed national averages.
* “Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States: 2019 Historical Trend Report,” Pell Institute
More Financial Support & Less Student Debt
$4.5M
More Financial Support
We provide over $4.5M in scholarships and help to leverage over $27M in free financial aid.
88%
Less student debt
Our college students graduate with 88% less student loan debt than their national peers.
For more information, contact:
Vanessa Bishop
Chief Program Officer
Phone: 415.524.7327
Email: vanessa.bishop (at) 10000degrees.org
Rondell Gibson
Director of College Access, Marin & Contra Costa
Phone: 415.459.4242
Email: rgibson (at) 10000degrees.org
Jose Jimenez
Director of College Access, San Francisco & South Bay
Phone: 415.599.6408
Email: jjimenez (at) 10000degrees.org
Tania Requenes
Director of Community College Success
Phone: 415.246.8283
Email: trequenes (at) 10000degrees.org
Karla Santiago
Director of 4 Year & Alumni Success
Phone: 415.720.9063
Email: ksantiago (at) 10000degrees.org
Eli Weinzveg
Director of College Pathways, Sonoma & Napa
Phone: 707.529.6023
Email: eli.weinzveg (at) 10000degrees.org