Like so many college students, brothers John and Nemi Ngonzo were concerned that the Covid-19 pandemic would affect their ability to secure a summer internship in Summer 2020. As it turned out, three Pivotal internship partners stepped up to provide John and Nemi with three incredible virtual internship experiences!
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By Melissa Johns, Executive Vice President
As election day approaches, all eyes are on the candidates vying for your vote. Amidst all that campaign noise, we want to shine light on someone who isn’t looking for your vote this year: California State Senator Jim Beall. After three decades in public service, Senator Beall has completed his final term representing District 15. As a fierce champion for foster youth, he’s been unwavering in his commitment to see children...
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By Diana Seoud, MA, Post-Secondary Coach
Due to the nation’s fight against COVID-19, a lot of things look different this school year. We are two months or so into the new school year and many people are wondering how our high school and college students are doing. Every foster youth we serve is on their own path, and I’m happy to share the students I support as a post-secondary coach are doing well. My scholars have settled into remote learning and believe it or not,...
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By Melissa Johns, Executive Vice President
On October 8, we welcomed more than 400 people to Mix Masters 2020. Since we couldn’t gather in person this year, we created an over-the-top virtual happy hour! Thanks to our generous guests and sponsors, we raised more than $125,000 for Pivotal scholarships and programs!
We kicked off the festivities with a live mixology class by Amy O’Neil of Host Events, who led us through the steps to craft two exceptional drinks (Check out the...
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by Tommy Nguyen, Pivotal Alumnus
Pivotal is like Bruce Wayne - a silent guardian for foster youth. They supported me through my Bachelor’s in Business Administration and helped me get a summer internship at Comerica Bank. And, that internship turned into a job that I love!
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by Christine Salinas, Manager of Grants and Communications
Wondering what makes Pivotal scholars graduate college at 10X the rate of other foster youth? With 90% of our scholars starting their college journey at a local community college, it’s clear that high-quality partnerships with our community colleges are critical to their success. San Jose City College (SJCC) stands tall as an example of a great community college partner.
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By Melissa Johns, Executive Vice President
It’s not what you know but who you know, right? For youth growing up in foster care, it’s hard to find career mentors and build a professional network. As first-generation college students, they have limited access to professionals who can provide career insights and guidance. To help fill this gap, this summer Pivotal launched a new career development workshop series for its post-secondary scholars. For the...
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by Christine Salinas, Manager of Grants and Communications
Parents everywhere are wondering what school will look like this year and worried about the challenges and pitfalls of distance learning. As Pivotal scholars prepare to start the new school year remotely, we asked how they feel about distance learning. Because of their own unique experiences in the foster system, many prefer it over in-person instruction. Here are five things we learned:
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by Christine Salinas, Manager of Grants and Communications, and Tom Fandre, Senior Business Development Manager
We’re so proud of our graduating college seniors! While the pandemic changed many things in the lives of our Pivotal scholars, not even Covid-19 could stop Naeim, Farhad, Latif, and Diana from achieving their goals. Below we offer some Q&A with these four stellar scholars.
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by Priya Mistry, Director of Community Initiatives
Pivotal is responding to the murder of George Floyd and the protests that are happening around the country and here at home, with conversations about Black Lives Matters and racial justice. This month, we invite all Pivotal high school, college, and alumni scholars to Pivotal Perspectives Social Justice Dialogue. It will be a safe space for scholars to discuss their thoughts and concerns about race relations, talk about ways to cope in difficult times, and think about how to be active change participants.
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by Elise Cutini, CEO, and Rick Williams, Board President
Last week, we watched in horror, the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers, which was just the latest in a string of deaths that included the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. As our outrage over these events continues and we sit with heavy hearts, we are taking a moment to speak out because silence is no longer an option. For too long, silence and indifference by too many have allowed systemic racism, violence, and unequal justices to continue unchecked.
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