Current Scholars

The Maisin Scholar Award aims to offer support when there may be none, open doors when they may seem closed, and help to remove obstacles that may stand in the way of you achieving your academic and career goals.

  • Community College Scholars Learn about counseling available to community college scholars and how to renew your scholarship.

    Community College Scholar Counseling

    The Maisin Scholar Award provides our community college scholars with in-depth academic & career counseling and a comprehensive 2-3 year academic plan. Our goal is to more effectively equip our community college scholars to successfully achieve an associate’s degree, transfer to a four-year institution, or achieve a vocational certification. These scholars renew their scholarship at the end of the fall semester, in addition to the annual renewal cycle in July.

    Students have a mid-semester and an end-of-semester appointment with the Maisin Education Advisor to assess their progress, make adjustments or acquire support to navigate through any immediate challenges they may encounter, be it academic or financial aid. They are also provided with other resources essential for college and career success.

    In 2010, we designed a community college protocol for Maisin Scholars, which increased first-year retention rates from 45% to 85% in its first year of implementation. Since then, we have maintained above an 80% first-year retention rate. We aim to assist our community college scholars in achieving their academic and career goals in the most effective and timely manner.

    Education Counseling

    We support Maisin Scholars attending community colleges throughout California. If you take full advantage of our support and services, you will be on your way to achieve your dreams beyond high school, through college and into a productive career!

    When you join the Maisin Family, you will have many opportunities to work with our Education Advisor. In your initial counseling session you will be introduced to Inter-segmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) and California State University (CSU) transfer requirements, Associate degree requirements for your community college, as well as the difference between remedial and college level courses.

    During your Midterm Check-in you will be asked to identify challenges and successes and together with the Education Advisor, devise a plan of action to finish the semester successfully. In your end of term check-in, you will give the Education Advisor an idea of what your grades for the semester will be by reviewing your unofficial transcript. You will also have time to change your education plan agreement and re-establish goals for the next semester if necessary.

    For more details on the community college protocol breakdown, click here.

    If at any time you have questions about the courses that you are taking or the requirements to graduate please make an appointment to meet with our Education Advisor.

    Community College Scholar Renewals

    As a Maisin Scholar attending a community college, you are required to renew your scholarship twice each year. Students attending a community college or vocational program will receive $1,500 annually for up to four years, for a total scholarship of $6,000.

    Fall Semester Renewals (due by the second Friday of July annually):

    • Renewal Form: You must fill out this form completely. If you will be attending a new school, indicate this change in the required field. Your award check will be sent to the educational institution that you designate on this form. This is where you will also update your contact information if it has changed.
    • Essay: Write a 750-word essay describing your educational experiences over the past year. Include your major, what you enjoy about school, challenges you have overcome, and areas that you can improve. Describe how the Maisin Scholar Award Program is supporting you in your education.
    • Transcripts: Obtain a copy of your official transcript, usually available from your school’s registrar, or in the mail, by request, through your school’s website. Unofficial transcripts will NOT be accepted. (Do not open the sealed transcript or it will be voided).
    • Class Schedule: You must be enrolled in both Math and English and a minimum of 9 units to receive your full scholarship for the semester. Your class schedule will be our proof of this, however, checks are not disbursed to you from your institution until after the add/drop deadline.
    • Copy of Signed Education Plan: This document provides information about your plan of success and how you will achieve your academic goals each semester, which you will fill out when you meet with the Education Advisor.

    Spring Semester Renewals (due January 31 annually):

    • Counseling Appointment: Make an appointment to see the Maisin Education Advisor in January.
    • Renewal Form: You must fill out this form completely. If you will be attending a new school, indicate this change in the required field. Your award check will be sent to the educational institution that you designate on this form. This is where you will also update your contact information if it has changed.
    • Class Schedule: You must be enrolled in both Math and English and a minimum of 9 units to receive your scholarship. Your class schedule will be our proof of this. Checks are not disbursed to you from your school until after the add/drop deadline.
    • Unofficial Transcripts: Provide unofficial transcripts including your fall semester grades (only for spring renewals).
    • Any additional documents requested by the Education Advisor. Submit all required documents to the Maisin Education Advisor during or after your counseling session. Spring checks will be mailed out by the end of February.
  • Four-Year Scholars Learn how to renew your scholarship.

    Renewals

    As a Maisin Scholar, you are required to renew your scholarship annually by the second Friday in July. A completed renewal packet consists of:

    • Renewal Form: You must fill out this form completely. If you will be attending a new school, indicate this change in the required field. Your award check will be sent to the educational institution that you designate on this form. This is where you will also update your contact information if it has changed.
    • Essay: Write a 750-word essay describing your educational experiences over the past year. Include your major, what you enjoy about school, challenges you have overcome, and areas that you can improve. Describe how the Maisin Scholar Award Program is supporting you in your education.
    • Transcripts: Obtain a copy of your official transcript, usually available from your school’s registrar by mail or through your school’s website. Unofficial transcripts will NOT be accepted. (Do not open the sealed transcript or it will be voided).
  • Forms for Scholars For applications, renewals and emergency assistance requests.
  • Helpful Links Handy links for finding additional scholarships, work, and maximize your college experience.

    Financial Aid

    Federal Student Aid: learn about the types of financial aid available, what you may qualify for, access your FAFSA, even learn how to re-pay your student loans.
    California Student Aid Commission: learn about financial aid offered at the state level, such as Cal Grants, and also access your Cal Grant and Dream Act accounts through this portal.

    Scholarship Databases

    Many of the following sites will require that you create a profile with some personal and academic information before matching you with relevant scholarships. There will be lots of sifting through scholarships that you may not qualify for or may look questionable. However, if you are persistent, you will develop an eye for what’s legit and find many scholarships that you should apply to.
    Bigfuture
    Cappex
    Chegg
    Unigo
    One exception is the CareerOneStop Scholarship Finder, which does not require an account to access its wealth of scholarships.

    Career Planning and Job Search

    Occupational Outlook Handbook: Put together by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is THE online resource to learn about the different occupations that are out there, including a detailed description of the work expectations, trends in salary and hiring prospects, and other helpful information that should interest students and seasoned job seekers alike.
    O*NET: Excellent resource for researching career options from virtually every industry, with information about each occupation’s average salary and the skills, knowledge, and education level required for the job. Also has a couple nifty assessment tools to help guide your career search.
    LinkedIn: you usually hear about LinkedIn as the place where your online resume should live and where you can connect with your peers and professional contacts, but there is also a fairly large job board, many of which are from top firms.
    Snagajob: good site if you’re looking for part-time work in retail, fast food, and the like. Suitable for undergraduates and graduates alike, most of the jobs offered here are not major specific.
    Idealist: must-use for anyone looking for volunteering or job opportunities in education, public health, social welfare, non-profits, and the like.
    Localwise: as its name suggests, Localwise is a good database for looking up a variety of local jobs in the Greater Bay Area.
    Indeed: one of the largest job search engines, Indeed provides an expansive listing of jobs throughout the U.S. for professionals of all backgrounds and experience levels. This site (and many others similar to it) heavily rewards those who know how to thoroughly filter for what they want.
    AngelList: huge search engine for startup jobs. Startups big (Uber, Yelp, Fitbit, you name it) and small post their positions here. One of the best websites for discovering what startups are out there and who’s hiring, particularly in the Bar Area.
    Health eCareers: should be your first stop if you are looking for jobs  in the healthcare industry. Extensive listing of positions for all specialties throughout the U.S. Also has a nifty salary calculator for common positions in each state.

  • Internship Opportunities Stipended jobs at our office and with our partnering organizations, offered year-round.

    The purpose of the Maisin Scholar Internship Program is to strengthen the academic level and provide professional development opportunities of our students while simultaneously improving retention rates through direct program participation. We aim to create partnerships between community organizations and businesses with the Maisin Scholar Award to produce a qualified, diverse workforce, recruit/retain minorities in education, and to provide professional leadership training.

    The Maisin Internship Program offers students a unique experience to receive first-hand experience in non-profit, education counseling and health education industries. The program has been designed to provide students with practical experiences related to administrative and business practices, marketing and communications, development and project management, academic counseling for both high school and college students, and to introduce students to the essentials of public health. We are endeavoring to grow these opportunities to meet the professional interests of our scholars.

    Available Internships

    Eligibility Criteria

    • Current Maisin Scholar
    • Completed freshman year of college with a 2.5 GPA or higher
    • Met all program expectations to date as a scholar
    • Maintained good academic standing in college and with the Maisin Scholar Award

    For all questions pertaining to internships, contact us at [email protected].

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