City Scholars

About City Scholars

City Scholars is a transfer-focused equity institute at Sacramento City College (SCC) designed to help students reach their goal of transferring to a four-year university. The program emerged after SCC reviewed data on transfer readiness for all students and found significant equity gaps — particularly for Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, and Pacific Islander students. In response, City Scholars was created to provide more intentional, culturally responsive services so that all students are well supported in their academic journeys and can successfully transfer.

City Scholars offers a two-year, cohort-based Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) pathway that prepares students for seamless transfer to Sacramento State University, University of California campuses, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and other four-year institutions.

Who We Serve & Why It Matters

City Scholars supports diverse student populations who aspire to transfer but often face systemic barriers in access, guidance, and community. SCC’s institutional data revealed that while many students share high transfer aspirations, disproportionately impacted groups are less likely to reach transfer readiness. City Scholars bridges that gap by ensuring that all students receive the structured, intentional support they need to complete their goals efficiently and confidently.

This initiative reflects SCC’s commitment to Vision 2030 goals and the K16 Collaborative, advancing equity and degree completion across California’s higher education landscape.

How City Scholars Works

City Scholars is built on four foundational pillars that ensure every student is supported from enrollment through transfer:

Structured Pathways

Students enroll in one of three ADT majors—Business, Psychology, or Administration of Justice—following a clear, two-year sequence of courses designed for guaranteed transfer readiness.

Cohort Learning and Community Building

Students take classes together as a community, fostering belonging, collaboration, and mutual accountability.

Embedded Student Services

Academic advising, tutoring, mental health, and financial aid resources are integrated directly into student schedules.

Culturally Responsive Practices

Faculty and staff engage in equity-centered, healing-informed professional development to affirm students’ identities and make learning relevant and empowering.

Program Benefits

• Transfer in two years through a guaranteed Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) pathway
• Maximize financial aid and minimize time to degree
• Access wraparound academic, financial, and wellness support
• Build community and mentorship connections that foster persistence and success

Who Can Join

City Scholars welcomes students who are:

• First-time in college or recently completed high school
• Planning to enroll full-time (12–16 units per semester)
• Interested in Psychology, Business, or Administration of Justice
• Eager to engage both in-person and virtually
• Committed to collaboration, efficiency, and success

Program Requirements

To stay in good standing, students are expected to:

• Maintain full-time enrollment each semester
• Attend program meetings, workshops, and events
• Communicate regularly with their counselor
• Participate in community and transfer-related activities

Our Impact and Partnerships

City Scholars’ progress is sustained by strong institutional and community partnerships:

• $1.5 million committed by SCC to sustain and expand City Scholars
• $237,049 from the Sacramento K16 Collaborative to strengthen regional transfer pathways
• $10,000 from the CCC-CSU Collaborative to enhance Sacramento State partnerships

Through these collaborations, City Scholars continues to grow a model that enhances transfer equity, builds institutional capacity, and empowers students across diverse backgrounds.

Looking Ahead

By Fall 2026, CITY Scholars aims to:

• Enroll over 120 students in structured ADT pathways
• Institutionalize data-sharing and transfer agreements with K–12 and university partners
• Deepen relationships with four-year institutions to expand culturally sustaining pathways

Join the Movement

City Scholars is more than a program—it’s a movement for equity, efficiency, and opportunity. It exists to help students reach their transfer goals in a timely, supported, and community-centered way.

Together, we can close equity gaps and create transfer pathways where every student can thrive.