Hidden Costs of College: Why First-Gen Students Stop Out
What a Target Run Taught Me About the Real Cost of College By Eli Kennedy, CEO, Students Rising Above. The hidden costs of college are the expenses beyond tuition, such as laptops, textbooks, transportation, and emergency bills. For first-generation, low-income students without a family safety net, one unexpected cost can force them to leave school. […]
College Access in Sonoma Valley: Eli Kennedy and Eric Gonzalez on KSVY
Published 10/12/26. Interview aired on KSVY 91.3 on Sep. 26, 2026. Eli Kennedy, Chief Executive Officer of Students Rising Above (SRA), and Eric Gonzalez, Vice President of Youth Development and Community Engagement at Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley (BGCSV), joined KSVY 91.3 to talk about the new college access partnership between their organizations. […]
Students Rising Above and Boys & Girls Club of Sonoma Valley Launch College Access Partnership
Summary Students Rising Above (SRA) and Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley announced on Sept. 21, 2026 a partnership to deliver a college access program on-site at the Club, starting in the 2026-27 academic year. A dedicated SRA pre-college advisor will serve Club juniors and seniors. Key takeaways Who: Students Rising Above and Boys & […]
SRA Alum on Staff: Salote Tenisi
SRA is celebrating our SRA Alums who are now on staff! Hear from SRA Alum and College and Career Advisor Salote Tenisi. Salote Tenisi is a Students Rising Above Alum from the Class of 2011. Before joining the SRA team, Salote served as the Student Success Coordinator at Mills College where they worked with first-generation […]
SRA Partners With Talkspace – Providing Online Therapy For SRA Students, Alumni, and Staff – Anytime, Anywhere
We’re thrilled to announce that Students Rising Above has partnered with Talkspace to provide personal and professional online messaging therapy to SRA students (including Rising Stars and SOAR students), SRA alumni (classes of 2019, 2020, and 2021), and all SRA staff. Now, with Talkspace, SRA students, alumni, and staff have the ability to regularly send […]
Landing a Job in 2020 – Edylwise Romero
About Edylwise: Edylwise Romero is a Students Rising Above alum from the class of 2015. She graduated from Carleton College in 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Her pursuit of broadening her global experience led to her minors in Cross-cultural Studies and Creative Writing. Driven by her desire to make a difference, she takes […]
Students Rising Above Senior Director of Program Strategy and SRA Alum Lorna Contreras-Townsend Joins Gap, Inc. Equality & Belonging Team
Students Rising Above Senior Director of Program Strategy and SRA Alum Lorna Contreras-Townsend Joins Gap, Inc. Equality & Belonging Team Driving Systemic Change For A More Equitable and Inclusive Society For All SAN FRANCISCO, CA – November 13, 2020 – Students Rising Above (SRA), San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit empowering first-generation college students […]
Join SRA’s Virtual Fund their Future Celebration
Since we couldn’t have you join a March 2020 Gala…. Please join Students Rising Above for our Virtual Fund their Future Celebration on Wednesday, September 2nd from 6:30-7:30 PM PDT. Register now! Program Agenda: Introduction to SRA Class of 2020 and Rising College Freshmen Silent/Live Auction & Paddle Raise SRA Alum Remarks, Tyisha Higgins, […]