City Scholars - Advancing Transfer Equity for Students of Color

Executive Summary

City Scholars is a transfer-focused equity institute at Sacramento City College (SCC) that is designed to address persistent institutional equity gaps in transfer rates for disproportionately impacted students, particularly Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, and Pacific Islander students. CITY Scholars is a culturally responsive transfer institute, rooted in holistic student services, and a cohort-based, two-year ADT pathway that leads directly to transfer-readiness for Sacramento State University, UCs, HBCUs, and other minority serving institutions.

Additionally, as Sacramento State continues to grow its Black Honors College, CITY Scholars offers a complementary and strategic partnership to increase the pipeline of Black transfer-ready students who are academically and culturally prepared to thrive at Sacramento State.

Rationale

At SCC, institutional data confirms that there is no equity gap in students’ transfer aspirations, but there is a significant and persistent equity gap in transfer outcomes. Collegewide, 60% of first-time-in-college (FTIC) students identified transfer as their primary educational goal. However, despite 61% of Black/African American and 63% of Hispanic/Latino students identifying the same primary educational goal, only few reach transfer-readiness even after six years. Among the Fall 2018 cohort of FTIC students, only 2 of 265 Black/African American and 35 of 908 Hispanic/Latino students reached transfer-readiness within two years. Even after six years, the numbers improve only modestly to 26 Black/African American and 200 Hispanic/Latino students.

City Scholars was designed to directly address this disconnect between aspiration and achievement by:

• Offering full ADT pathways with structured course sequences to achieve transfer within 3 years. 
• Providing culturally affirming cohort experiences from dual enrollment through transfer. 
• Embedding academic, financial, and wellness services into student schedules. 
• Aligning with Sacramento State’s Black Honors College, Native American College, Serna Center, and other culturally-affirming programs to ensure transfer pathways that continue a culturally sustaining educational experience.

City Scholars Alignment with Sacramento State

City Scholars is uniquely positioned to help advance Sacramento State’s commitment to racial equity, student access and success, and regional collaboration:

• Black Honors College Integration: SCC has already signed the Memorandum of Agreement with Sacramento State’s Black Honors College. City Scholars aims to be a structured institute that supports students with the same intentionality as Sacramento State Black Honors College, fostering seamless student transfer. 
• 1300 Campaign Synergy: Focuses targeted supports on African American and Latino men. 
• College of Continuing Education Opportunities: Serves adult learners with flexible scheduling and short-term “get back on track” options for comebackers.

Strategic Design

City Scholars Model:

1. Entry Points: Dual enrollment, FTIC, or adult re-entry learners. 
2. Two-Year ADT Completion: Full pathway schedules that prioritize success momentum points and eliminate bottlenecks. 
3. Embedded Services: Counseling, financial aid, mental health, and tutoring. 
4. Transfer Pathways: Formal agreements with institutions including Sac State’s Black Honors College. 
5. Faculty committed to providing a rigorous, culturally responsive educational experience for students.

Outcomes by Fall 2026

•  At least 120 high-priority students enrolled in structured pathways to transfer-readiness.  
• Institutionalized data-sharing and student tracking.

City Scholars Funding

• SCC has dedicated $1.5 Million for the launch of City Scholars over the next three years. 
• The Sacramento k-16 Collaborative Transfer Pathways Work Group awarded City Scholars $237,049.37.

Conclusion

City Scholars is a transfer-focused equity institute at Sacramento City College (SCC) that is designed to address persistent institutional equity gaps in transfer rates for disproportionately impacted students, particularly Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, and Pacific Islander students. Together, we can strengthen the educational ecosystem from dual enrollment through the bachelor’s degree attainment in a model that is rooted in culturally responsive pedagogy and holistic student support.

Campus-wide Co-Development of City Scholars

A huge thank you to the City Scholars Advisory & Working Groups!

Monthly meetings were held in Fall 2025 as opportunities for all to provide their input and evidence-based strategies to increase transfer readiness through not only City Scholars, but campus-wide.

The input and thought partnership with working group attendees is being used to inform City Scholars staff work plans, programmatic and academic support elements, and to map student support journeys from application, to assessment, to interventions.

Additionally, the invaluable contributions made in the working groups will inform the City Scholars Community of Practice that includes faculty, staff, and various learning communities and services working directly in and with the program.

A City Scholars Working Group Hub Canvas course was created to capture notes and additional City Scholars formative documents.

Faculty and staff may self-enroll in Canvas