Helping Students Bridge the Gap to College
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Glow Foundation eNewsletter
2009 Spring
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Goal Is College. Hurdle Is Finding Financial Aid.
April 30,2009
Each afternoon this spring, Brennan Jackson, an A-student who ranks
near the top of his high school class, has arrived at his guidance
counselor's office to intercept the latest scholarship applications, as
if they were a newspaper landing on his front stoop. (click here to read more)
Low income, high potential
March 6, 2009
Imagine you're one of the 28 million Americans who lack access to traditional financial services. . ." (click here to read more)
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Glow Board of Directors
Shawn Carolan
Menlo Ventures
Jim Cates
LOBI Inc./
CIO Scholarship Foundation
Tom Cole
Trinity Ventures
Billy Dannals
Glow Foundation
Seth Leslie
East Palo Alto Academy
Adam Marchick
Glow Co-Founder
Joohee Shin Rand
Glow Foundation
Craig Robinson
Silicon Valley Bank
Eric Young
Wells Fargo
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Letter from Glow Foundation's New Executive Director
Dear friend,
 It is an honor and privilege to serve as Glow Foundation's Executive Director. After working for over 20 years with YMCAs in Seattle, Toledo, Oakland and Hawaii, I have a deep appreciation for and a commitment to helping young people develop their fullest potential. I can think of no greater calling than helping high potential, motivated high school students reach their dream of a college education. The lack of financial resources should not be a barrier to creating a brighter future for students, and at Glow Foundation, it is our mission to help all deserving students reach their goals. As I embark on this new opportunity to lead and serve, I look forward to working with the many supporters, students and their families who share our mission of helping students bridge the gap to college by providing financial education, mentoring and scholarships to high potential, college ready students from under-resourced communities. Please join me as we help students achieve their full potential, and create a better community for us all. Warm regards, Billy Dannals, Executive Director |
Letter from Glow Foundation's Previous Executive Director
Dear friend,
It has been an absolute honor - and a transformative experience personally - to serve Glow Foundation as the Executive Director over the past two years. I am proud and happy for what we were able to achieve together - the hundreds of student lives we touched and the dynamic organization we were able to build to serve our much needed mission. I have been overwhelmed by the energy, passion and generosity of our growing community of volunteers, donors, and partners, and I've been constantly inspired by my fearless staff - Alana, Elena, and Ruyi. Your commitment and passion for Glow is contagious and is what fuels our impact.
While I am saddened to leave Glow Foundation's ED role with my family's move, I couldn't be more excited for the new phase of Glow Foundation and look forward to continuing to serve Glow Foundation as a board member and support our new Executive Director, Billy Dannals. Billy is a nonprofit leader who has dedicated his 20-year career to helping under-served youth succeed and has the strategic vision, passion and experiences to take Glow Foundation to the next level of growth, capacity and sustainability. I have every confidence that Glow Foundation will be a stronger organization and have greater impact under Billy's leadership. Please join me in welcoming Billy, and thank you for your continued support for Glow Foundation so that thousands more students can attend college and gain critical financial skills to succeed in life. We couldn't do it without you.
Sincerely yours,
Joohee Shin Rand
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Glow Foundation Awards 36 Scholarships.
 Glow Foundation selected its 2009 Scholars this April, following several rounds of college budget review sessions and interviews! 36 scholarships were awarded, amounting to over $133,000, to students who excelled in Glow Foundation's Financial Education Program and displayed the mettle to succeed in college. Click here to read the scholar names.
Roseanna from East Palo Alto Academy High School (pictured above) will be attending Notre Dame De Namur University in Belmont where she plans to study Journalism and Psychology. She completed Glow Foundation's Financial Education Program with the help of mentor and Board Fellow Ellen Schneider.
Congratulations to the Glow Foundation Class of 2009!
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An Update from Andy, a 2008 Glow Foundation Scholar
 Andy's forthrightness, dedication, resourcefulness, and innovation are just a few of his outstanding qualities. Coming to the United States in 2002, Andy quickly learned the English language and worked hard on developing his reading and writing skills. Andy is very diligent and resourceful, having taken advantage of the support programs around him to get help when he needs it. Currently, Andy is studying Civil Engineering at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.
Andy recently wrote Glow Foundation, "Living in the Engineering dorm gave me the opportunity to interact with other engineers and to discover what truly impassioned me. One of the main advantages of college life is that I have the freedom of choosing the classes that I want to take such as the Auto Cad class I'm currently taking. In my first two quarters I met many people with very different backgrounds who shared their experiences with me and helped me with my classes, not to mention that the weather in San Luis Obispo is always sunny and warm.
The finance workshops from last year helped me a lot throughout my college life. The scholarship from Glow Foundation not only supports my education, but also it gives me a better chance of finishing my college studies as a first generation student. I would like to say thank you to all our donors who support other people's needs and give others a chance to receive higher education. And to all staff and volunteers, the time they put in to grow this seed for society, this is honorable. Some day, this plant will grow strong and become the supporter of other people's lives."
There's nothing more rewarding that seeing a Glow Foundation Scholar bloom into a purposeful and wise young adult. Andy is a perfect example of why Glow Foundation is driven to provide more scholarships and financial education workshops to low income, high-potential students every year.
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Alice Chan Writes Us About Volunteering At Glow Foundation
 This Spring, Alice Chan wrote Alana Okamoto, our Program Manager, "It was great having an opportunity to work with students at Summit High School, particularly with those who are first-generation college attendees, like Luis. It was very personally meaningful to be able to help them think through their college budget. I was the first high school graduate in my family for generations, let alone a college and advanced degree recipient. Being able to give back by helping students from similar circumstances means a lot to me. So, thank you again for the opportunity to volunteer with Glow Foundation!"
Thanks Alice! It's heart-warming letters like these, from our volunteers
and students, that make it all worth it.
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About the Glow Foundation
Glow Foundation was founded in 2006 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization to address the financial barriers that
high potential, low income students face in attending and graduating
from college. Our vision is that all qualified, highly motivated
students, regardless of their income level, should be able to afford
and graduate from college and reach their greatest potential. Our
mission is to provide financial education, college planning advice, and
"unmet need" scholarships to high potential, college-ready students
from under- resourced communities.
Contact
Address: Glow Foundation, 275 5th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: 415-348-6310
Fax: 415-840-0412
Email: info@glowfoundation.org
Web: www.glowfoundation.org
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