Grantee Spotlight: College Access Plan

College Access Plan & PCF: A Powerful Partnership for Educational Equity

Through a long-standing and deeply collaborative partnership, College Access Plan (CAP) and Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) are breaking down barriers to higher education for Pasadena students. With hands-on guidance, innovative scholarships, and wraparound support, CAP is helping first-generation and low-income students dream big and thrive in college. This collaboration is reshaping what’s possible for young scholars across PUSD.

CAP, established in 2011, provides no-cost college readiness advisement and topic-specific workshops for students at 16 PUSD campuses: Four elementary schools, six middle schools, four high schools, and two alternative high schools. Since its founding, the organization has received nearly $700,000 in PCF Education Grants funding.

A Partner for PCF Scholars Program

Founded in 2011, CAP helps PUSD students and their families navigate the college journey, from middle school through college graduation. CAP offers hands-on support with every step of the college application process and continues to advise students after enrollment through its I Heart College program.

While PCF has supported CAP since its founding, the relationship deepened in 2019 with the launch of the PCF Scholars Program. Mo Hyman, CAP’s Executive Director, collaborated closely with PCF staff and consultants to build an innovative scholarship program designed for students most at risk of falling short of their college goals. The PCF Scholars Program addresses both structural and motivational barriers that low-income and first-generation students often face. Combining financial aid with wraparound support, it reflects national best practices in scholarship design and implementation.

Staying current with those best practices is a core part of CAP’s mission. The organization brings deep experience to the partnership, shaped by ongoing training, leadership roles at the regional and national level, and close working relationships with schools and colleges.

A New Comfort Level with College 

CAP has been a critical “funnel” to the PCF Scholars Program – to date, more than two-thirds of the Scholars have applied and been accepted to the program through CAP. Jeannine Bogaard, PCF’s VP of Community Impact, emphasizes that “PCF could not do this program without CAP. We’ve seen that CAP increases students’ comfort level with the notion of college. Their close guidance and individualized resources have proven critical in making students more successful as PCF Scholars.”

“The magic of PCF Scholars lies in CAP’s expertise mixed with the flexibility of the PCF funding and the personalized attention both CAP and PCF provide each student,” says Hyman.  By forging a close partnership to address many of the barriers that Pasadena students face, PCF and CAP are fortifying the foundation that underserved students need and paving a viable pathway to success.

CAP Executive Director Mo Hyman, far right, is joined by PUSD School Board member Scott Harden and PUSD Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Blanco at PCF’s 2024 Local Heroes Celebration.

Elevating the Partnership – MPYD and CAP  

In 2023, PCF received a $10,000 grant from League of California Community Foundations to forge a deeper collaboration between CAP and MPYD (Mentoring & Partnership for Youth Development), an organization at John Muir High School that serves young men of color.  By leveraging the expertise of both organizations, this partnership can create a stronger college pathway for students across PUSD.

More recently, in early 2025, PCF designated MPYD as key partner under its Eaton Fire Relief & Recovery Fund. MPYD joined nearly 40 other organizations receiving support for mental health services and summer programming aimed at trauma-impacted youth in Pasadena and Altadena communities, underscoring the evolving role of MPYD in CAP’s broader student support network.