Scholarship Program Opens Doors for Underrepresented Students
IDEAL sets $2 million challenge to expand program

by Monica Friedlander

Mayra Canizales knew all along that she wanted to attend Cal. But as a Latina—the first in her Nicaraguan family to be born in the United States—the prospect of diving head-on into the academic maelstrom of such a large institution seemed too daunting. A small private college, she decided, would be a much more manageable, if not ideal, alternative. All that changed when she was offered the opportunity to become an IDEAL scholar at UC Berkeley.

"I wanted the attention and support that a private school can provide; but with IDEAL I realized it could have everything and anything that a private school can offer but at the school I actually wanted to go to all along," said Canizales, now a sophomore majoring in American studies.

IDEAL—the Initiative for Diversity in Education and Leadership Scholars Program—is a privately-funded program that aims to increase the number of underrepresented students attending UC Berkeley by providing "IDEAL scholars" with crucial resources and support.

The program currently serves 37 Berkeley students and will support 50 next fall. In addition to financial scholarships, IDEAL scholars receive access to a multitude of resources, such as on-campus advisors provided and paid for by the program, summer internships, computer loan programs, and networking opportunities. The result: six years after being launched, IDEAL prides itself with an impressive 93 percent graduation rate.

As a second round of IDEAL scholars graduated this month, the program announced a new and ambitious challenge: to raise $2 million to increase the number of students it serves by five students a year over the next five years. A lofty goal? Perhaps, but thanks to a generous donation by Mitch Kapor, founder of Open Source Application Foundation, IDEAL is already half-way to its goal.

"The impact the Initiative has made in the lives of these students is enormous," Kapor said when he made the $1 million donation last month. "It feels great to be able to support this program and to be in a position to allow more students access to the crucial resources it provides."

IDEAL scholars are chosen from a large pool of accomplished students admitted to UC Berkeley, many of whom, on their own, could never dream of pursuing an education at a university of this caliber. In addition to demonstrating need and strong academic achievement, would-be IDEAL scholars must show strong leadership skills and a sense of wanting to give something back to the community.

"IDEAL scholars are the next generation of California’s leaders," said Jessica de Jesus, IDEAL's director of development. "They are students with notable leadership potential, individuals who will make an impact in their communities. They are aspiring medical researchers, lawyers, educators, public service agents of change, business entrepreneurs, engineers, scientists."

Among such future leaders is graduating senior Anthony Muiru who just earned his degree in Molecular and Cell Biology and plans to go on to medical school and pursue career in global health.

"I highly doubt I would be graduating in a few days without the help of this program," says Muiru, who grew up in Kenya and moved here with his parents in 1998. "The financial support I received allowed me time to focus on my education. The jobs I did have served the process of helping me reach my goal to become a doctor."

It was through IDEAL that Muiru secured an internship at the San Francisco Free Clinic, an opportunity that allowed him to interact with doctors and patients during the course of an entire summer. The program also sent him to Boston to participate in a global health conference, which gave Muiru valuable insight into his chosen career.

But perhaps more than anything, IDEAL scholars say, the program provides them with a strong sense of community. "It's hard to find your niche in a big place," Muiru said. "This place is very competitive, and it’s much easier to succeed when have friends you trust."

"IDEAL is like a safety net," added Canizales. "It gave me the freedom to take educational risks. I tried a lot of classes I feared I’m not good at only because I knew there would be a tutor to back me up if I needed it. There are so many people who support me and believe in me in this program. It's an amazing group of people."

IDEAL is a program of Level Playing Field Institute, founded in 2001 to promote innovative approaches to fairness in higher education and the workplace.