Cal-SOAP Peer Advisors
Welcome our newest office team members!
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Marisol Mora
Marisol is currently a 4th-year UCSB Liguistics major interested in helping underserved communities as a medical practioner. After being a tutor for 3 years, she is now eager to help students through advisement and educational events for making college more accessible. Marisol is considering medical school and becoming a physician to give back to her community.
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Marifer Ruiz
Marifer is a 3rd-year Sociology major and Education minor at UCSB who seeks to support underrepresented students with their educational aspirations. Having been a tutor for a year, she is excited to advise students with information and resources to promote access to higher education. Marifer intends to pursue graduate school and become a counselor for high school or college students.
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Cash for College Workshops
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Throughout January and February, Cal-SOAP provided a total of 6 Cash4College Workshops to assist both high school and college students in filling out FAFSA and the CA Dream Act Applications. South County high schools included Carpinteria HS, Santa Barbara HS and Dos Pueblos HS. Moreover, Cal-SOAP successfully piloted 3 new locations at Santa Barbara City College, Olive Grove Charter School and McKinley Elementary School to make workshops more geographically accessible. With the help of 7 volunteers and 7 Cal-SOAP staff, we were able to serve over 60 students and their families in applying for financial aid. Thank you to all of our participants!
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SAT Preparation Course
The SAT Preparation Course attracted over 30 participants this year in which students received 4 intensive classes and 2 diagnostic exams in preparation for the SAT. Participation spanned from Dos Pueblos to Santa Barbara High Schools including students from Bishop Garcia Diego High Schoo as well. Normally a $500 value, ALL students were able to attend these services for FREE!
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During the Winter, Cal-SOAP coordniated 3 campus visits to local schools to tour nearby universities. La Cuesta High School ventured to USC, La Cumbre Junior High School elected to see UCSB, and La Colina Junior High School made a trip to CSUCI. Upon surveying dozens of students, over 90% responded positively to participating and being able to learn about college life.
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"The campus tour was great. The tour guides led us through all of the main buildings and gave us quick explanations of the buildings. Overall, the campus tour was great. I think that UCSB is a great college and it’s the one I want to go to. This tour and trip helped me make the final decision and it was great."
- La Cumbre JHS Student
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Our 19 Cal-SOAP Tutors have been very enthusiastic about helping junior high and high school students across 18 sites in Goleta, Santa Barbara and Carpinteria this Winter. So far in 2020, tutors have engaged with over 850 students putting in over 1600 hours of tutoring services. Additionally, tutors have volunteered at our evening events, workshops and trainings to maximize their time and efforts in assisting our community and families.
Great job tutors! Keep it up!
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Partner Spotlight
Santa Barbara City College
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This season, Cal-SOAP has been working closely with SBCC to reach out to students by making college more accessible through workshops and events. With the leadership of Moises Cardenas of the Financial Aid Office, we were successful in serving over 25 families with FAFSA and CA Dream Act Apps at the college campus on Saturday, January 18th. Additionally, with the guidance of MaryLou Hernandez in Enrollment Services, Cal-SOAP assisted over 450 senior students in applying for SBCC, the SBCC Promise and financial aid via the Application & Placement Workshops held throughout the high school campuses of Dos Pueblos, San Marcos and Santa Barbara in early February.
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Moises Cardenas
Moises has been working at SBCC since 2014. He quickly found his passion for guiding and supporting students in their higher education journeys. In 2019, he earned a Master's Degree in Counseling and College Student Personnel from California Lutheran University. Currently, Moises advises students in the Financial Aid Department to continuously empower students with the necessary tools to understand the various types of federal and state financial aid. Though born and raised in Huntington Park, he has now made Santa Barbara County his home. In his spare time, he loves being outdoors with his wife, reading, and catching up on his favorite series.
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MaryLou Hernandez
MaryLou began working at SBCC in July 2016 as an EOPS Student Program Advisor working directly to support former foster youth in the Guardian Scholars Program, many being first-generation students. In June 2019, she moved over to Enrollment Services working with local high schools to assist students with their enrollment. Born in Santa Barbara, MaryLou began taking classes at SBCC majoring in Early Childhood Education. Soon after, she worked for the Santa Barbara Unified School District’s Child Development Program as an Instructional Assistant, Teacher, Office Assistant and Site Supervisor. After 9 years in Child Development, she shifted to higher education and began as an Admissions Advisor for Antioch University Santa Barbara. While working at AUSB for 2 years, MaryLou earned her Master’s Degree in Education before embarking on her journey to SBCC. Working at SBCC was the dream job she had imagined having when she was a student taking classes and walking across the bridge. MaryLou now has the pleasure and honor of working alongside dedicated professionals who focus on the success of our students.
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Thanks to our partners and community members for your collaboration and assistance with our program and events. We relish the opportunities in connecting with the students and parents throughout our community to help with their educational endeavors. Thank you so much!
-The Cal-SOAP Team
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Follow us on social media!
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Haven't seen the new Cal-SOAP website!? Check out calsoapsb.org for local educational resources and most current information regarding our consortium. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more upcoming events!
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Upcoming Events
○ Tuesday, March 11th - 3rd Governing Board Meeting
○ Tuesdays, April 7, 14, 21, 28th - College Readiness Workshops
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Upcoming Deadlines
○ Friday, Apr. 3rd - APP Form A & B Submissions Due
○ Friday, Apr. 10th - 3rd Quarter Form B Report Due
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Cal-SOAP Santa Barbara is a non-profit organization designed to increase the accessibility of post-secondary educational opportunities for low-income, first-generation, and/or underrepresented junior high and high school students in Santa Barbara County. Services offered include assistance with FAFSA, Cal Grant, and the CA Dream Act Application, financial aid workshops, college applications, and campus visits as well as in-class and after school tutoring. Tutors are placed on school campuses such as Santa Barbara High School, Dos Pueblos High School, Carpinteria Middle and High School, and after school centers (e.g. Franklin Community Center and the Santa Barbara Police Activities League). All services provided are publicly accessible and free of cost.
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Santa Barbara Cal-SOAP is funded by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC).
CSAC's mission is "making education beyond high school financially accessible to all Californians."
Find out more about CSAC here.
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