The David Malcolm Family Trust has donated $100,000 to the San Diego Foundation to help first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students with college scholarships and wraparound services to bolster academic achievement.
The donation, which goes to the foundation’s Community Scholars Initiative, will go to 38 underrepresented students.
The gift is from San Diego philanthropists David and Annie Malcolm. David, a philanthropist and community advocate in San Diego County, is a former Chula Vista councilman and San Diego port commissioner who was ousted from the latter role in 2003 in a conflict-of-interest scandal. He currently runs and advises companies across the region.
“We are proud to support the Community Scholars Initiative and help dozens of students on their pathway to a diploma,” Malcolm said. “By prioritizing both scholarships and wraparound academic support, this initiative prepares the leaders of tomorrow who will guide our region through complex challenges we may face in the future.”
According to research from the Public Policy Institute of California, only a fraction of students in California capable of earning a degree actually do so, and students from Latino, Black, and low-income communities are historically underrepresented in higher education.
Working in partnership with local nonprofits — including Reality Changers, Barrio Logan College Institute, Mana de San Diego, and San Diego Urban League — the Community Scholars Initiative provides more San Diego students with equitable opportunity through tools and financial support to accomplish their academic goals.
“In addition to fostering equity of opportunity, CSI supports our economy and the prosperity of our region,” shared Michelle Jaramillo, director of education initiatives at the San Diego Foundation. “Thanks to generous San Diegans like David Malcolm, we are able to prioritize the needs of these students and build a future with every San Diegan in mind.”
The initiative builds upon the work of the foundation’s Community Scholarship Program, which is the largest in the region outside of the university system and provides a variety of scholarships to high school students, current college students, graduate students and adult re-entry students. Since 1997, the program has awarded more than $36 million to thousands of students.
Students who applied for scholarships during the application period ending in February will be eligible for the funds. Scholarship award recipients will be announced this summer.