Sonoma State University

ASPIRE Fellowship

The ASPIRE Fellowship was designed to address the basic needs of students while also providing pathways to gain professional development and experiential learning opportunities for students who are interested in immigration related issues, including those faced by undocumented and AB-540 students. Many undocumented and AB-540 students face unique barriersto achieve their educational and career goals, including lack of federal funding opportunities, being first-generation, low-income, housing/food insecurity, and/or immigration status. The support provided below would further bolster student success and achieve SSU’s overall objectives of achieving academic excellence and innovation through leadership cultivation and transformative impact. This fellowship also aligns with our system-wide Graduate Initiative 2025 to increase 2 and 4-year graduation rates while eliminating the gap for underrepresented groups.

 

Fellows are appointed to a professional development opportunity at the DREAM Center. They also engage closely with the department to incorporate and strengthen the role of undocumented students/immigrant issues. 

 

To meet the growing student need, fellows will receive a monetary award for their participation in the program, leadership and professional development training, and networking opportunities.  

 

Eligibility Criteria

 

  • Be a Sonoma State student 

  • Appointment to an experiential learning opportunity at the DREAM Center and other departments on campus vetted by the DREAM Center.

  • Be considered a California Resident for Tuition Purposes or have an approved exemption from

  • CA resident tuition (AB540, SB2000, and SB68).

  • Be enrolled at least half-time.

  • Be meeting, or maintaining, satisfactory academic progress.

  • Have an interest in immigration issues and/or serving the immigrant community.

  • Have completed a California Dream Act (No SSN required) or FAFSA Application.


Please note that the ASPIRE Fellowship is a year long opportunity, meaning we only accept applications at a certain time of the year. 

For more information about the ASPIRE Fellowship, contact the DREAM Center.