OUR MISSION
To provide information about postsecondary education and financial aid to elementary through high school students while raising their academic achievement levels. In particular, Cal-SOAP is committed to providing services to students from any of the following backgrounds:
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Low income families
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Families in which they would be the first to attend college
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Schools with documented low eligibility or college participation rates or
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Geographic areas with documented low eligibility or college participation rates
Cal-SOAP Staff
LINDA DOUGHTY
Director
Assistant Director,
College Advisement
CLAUDIA RODRIGUEZ
ANNA SORENSEN
Associate Director,
College Advisement
619-295-1468
619-295-1468
619-295-1468
Academic Coordinator
619-295-1468
JIM O'FALLON
Fiscal Administrator
619-295-1468
Assistant to the Director
619-295-1468
KARLA WHITAKER
BETH PALENCIA
OUR PROFILE
Working under the direction of the California Student Aid Commission, the California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP) has represented the educational community throughout the state since 1978. The program is operated in partnership with the University of California system, the California State University system, local non-profit agencies, and public elementary and secondary school districts.
The San Diego and Imperial Counties Cal-SOAP Consortium is one of the largest of the Cal-SOAP consortia throughout the state. The consortium serves San Diego County as well as Imperial County. San Diego and Imperial Counties Consortium offers a broad range of services tailored specifically to serve both urban and rural populations.
Central Coast Cal-SOAP Consortium
Central Valley Cal-SOAP Consortium
East Bay Cal-SOAP Consortium
Gilroy Cal-SOAP Consortium
Long Beach Cal-SOAP Consortium
Los Angeles Cal-SOAP Consortium
Merced County Cal-SOAP Consortium
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Northcoast Cal-SOAP Consortium
Sacramento Cal-SOAP Consortium
San Francisco Cal-SOAP Consortium
San Jose Cal-SOAP Consortium
Santa Barbara Cal-SOAP Consortium
Solano Cal-SOAP Consortium
Southern San Joaquin Cal-SOAP Consortium
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Academic Coordinator
Imperial Valley
Francisco Rodriguez
760-355-6338
IMPERIAL VALLEY
Cal-SOAP Staff
MARTHA SINGH
Assistant Director
Imperial Valley
760-355-7063
Cal-SOAP Components
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Through a network of trained staff members and college students, Cal- SOAP offers support and assistance to college and academic counselors, and middle and high school students and their families. While services are typically delivered to nearly 10,000 students per year, the personal attention that has become Cal- SOAP's hallmark is never sacrificed. The program is built around the following components:
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College and Financial Aid Information and Advisement
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Cal-SOAP manages a team of highly trained college students to serve as the program's primary resource of outreach. These College Readiness Coaches (CRCs) are trained to provide support for school counseling personnel in select San Diego and Imperial County high schools. CRCs at these schools address the needs of students through 1:1 meetings, classroom presentations and in small groups. At these sessions, information is disseminated about college options, the college application process, financial and career options, college essay writing and scholarship search. Additionally, CRCs serve as role models -- those students who have successfully navigated the often choppy waters of college admissions and financial aid. Cal-SOAP also offers numerous Cash for College Financial Aid Workshops each year between October and March to help students and families fill out the FAFSA or Dream Act application. Cal-SOAP also offers workshops to help seniors complete college admission applications.
Academic Enrichment and College Entrance Test Preparation
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Cal- SOAP recognizes that academic success in school will provide more options for students after high school. The Academic Coordinators provide free, quality PSAT/SAT/ACT preparation services through workshops, summer programs and classroom programs.
College: Make It Happen (CMIH)
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Cal-SOAP believes in empowering parents/guardians and the community to understand the college process early. Through dissemination of information about post-secondary education, both community and parents are encouraged to be informed, be involved and to be inspired to assist students. College Make It Happen (CMIH) is a program that informs middle school parents about A-G requirements, academic achievement and college options; provides college admission, deadlines and financial aid information; and provides parents an opportunity to learn about and discuss parent/guardian education issues, the college search process and more.
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Cal-SOAP Programs
College Advising
Cal-SOAP's advisement component utilizes a network of College Readiness Coaches trained to provide support for school counseling personnel at targeted high schools in the San Diego and Imperial Counties. College Readiness Coaches serve as role models and work with approximately 8,000 high school students in small groups and one-on-one intensive advisement. They share personal college experiences and help students with numerous tasks, including how to complete applications for college and financial aid, a-g requirements, SAT/ACT, scholarship searches, and career exploration.
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Contact Claudia Rodriguez claudia@ucsd.edu and Anna Sorensen asorensen@sandi.net for more information about San Diego County. Contact Martha Singh m4singh@ucsd.edu and Francisco Rodriguez Martinez fgrodriguez@ucsd.edu for more information about Imperial County.
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College Fair
Cal-SOAP is involved in several College Fairs. Every October, Cal-SOAP typically hosts its own College Fair which is free to parents, students and college representatives. Numerous colleges and organizations attend and the event also offers breakout sessions on specialized topics. Cal-SOAP will sponsor a College Fair Wed, October 23, 2024 at San Diego Mesa Community College.
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Test Preparation
Cal-SOAP test preparation programs provide students with test-taking strategies and encourage students to take all their college entrance exams in a timely manner. However, with many universities adopting admissions policies that are SAT/ACT-blind or SAT/ACT-optional, Cal-SOAP is offering less test preparation due to decreasing demand.
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SAT/ACT Preparation Workshops for juniors are offered at various times throughout the year. Check the Workshops section for a list of events. Other test-prep workshops are held by request.
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Contact Karla K. Whitaker at kkwhitaker@ucsd.edu for more information.
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SWAG (Students With Academic Goals)
SWAG is a 2-week college readiness program typically held in June. It is conducted in partnership with San Diego Community College District, San Diego State University and UC San Diego. The online application is posted each January and has a priority deadline in March/April. Go to the Workshops section of our website for information and a link to the online application. SWAG 2020, 2021 and 2022 were primarily online; Summer 2023 returned to an in-person format, was hosted by San Diego City College, and included field trips to UCSD and SDSU. Summer 2024 will once again be in-person at San Diego City College and will include field trips to UCSD, SDSU, and the San Diego Zoo.
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Contact Karla K. Whitaker at kkwhitaker@ucsd.edu for more information.
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YouSeeYou Mentoring
Cal-SOAP sponsored a pilot program beginning in 2020 that paired volunteer UCSD student mentors with high school students at various schools through a virtual platform. While the program opened to additional grade levels and schools between 2020 and 2024, it has struggled to maintain enough mentors and mentees. 2023-2024 was the last year of YouSeeYou and the program is ending June 2024.
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Contact Karla K. Whitaker at kkwhitaker@ucsd.edu for more information.
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Presentations
This program and service is provided at the request of schools, teachers, parent groups, or community organizations. Its purpose is to disseminate information to educators and students regarding higher academic achievement and post-secondary opportunities. Topics range from test preparation to college admissions essays to financial aid.
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Special Events
Cal-SOAP partners with local colleges and universities for event such as: Dare to Dream College: the African American Experience, Senior Jump Starts, HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) events, Higher Ed Week, etc.
Cal-SOAP Consortium
The San Diego and Imperial Counties Cal-SOAP Consortium
There are numerous California Student Opportunity and Access Program Consortia, each serving a specific geographic area of the state, and all working toward a common goal: providing information about post-secondary education and financial aid, and raising the achievement levels of students from low-income families, from schools or geographic areas with documented low eligibility or college participation rates, or from families in which they would be the first to attend college.
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Working under the auspices of the California Student Aid Commision, the Cal-SOAP Consortia represent the educational community: the University of California, California State University, California Community Colleges, independent colleges, public schools and local non-profit agencies.
San Diego and Imperial Counties Cal-SOAP Consortium Members:
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Since 1978 UCSD has served as the fiscal agent for the project. UCSD has the responsibility of fiscal management of the project and oversees the proper performance of the Director and Administrative Assistants.
BOARD MEMBERS
Andrew "Luke" Menchaca​
​Board Chair
3375 Camino del Rio South, Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92108
P: 619.388.6547
F: 619.388.6970
W: San Diego Community College District
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Jocelyn Pacheco
Secretary
W: Southwestern Community College
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Deborah Kammerer
Vice Chair
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA 92093-0075
P:858.534.0085
W: UC San Diego
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Jason Maher
Treasurer
P: 619.894.6684
W: San Diego Unified School District
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Denise Cabanilla
1398 Sperber Road
El Centro, CA 92243
P: 760.312.6190
F: 760.312.6565
W: Imperial County Office of Education
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Kheng Waiche
333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road
San Marcos, CA 92096
P: 760.750.4854
E: kwaiche@csusm.edu
W: CSU San Marcos
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Jessica Murguia
900 Rancho San Diego Parkway
El Cajon, CA 92019
P: 619.660.4422
F: 619.660.4279
E: jessica.murguia@gcccd.net
W: Cuyamaca College
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Courtney Williams
8800 Grossmont College Drive
El Cajon, CA 92020-1799
P: 619.644.7844
F: 619.644.7967
E: courtney.williams@gcccd.net
W: Grossmont College
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Dawn Cuizon
PO Box 1043
La Mesa, CA 91944-1043
F: 619.644.8094
E: dcuizon@guhsd.net
W: Grossmont Union High School District
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Henry Villegas
720 Heber Avenue
Calexico, CA 92231
P: 760.768.5502
F: 760.768.8435
W: San Diego State University, Imperial Valley
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Luis Torres
380 E. Aten Road PO Box 158
Imperial, CA 92251-0158
P: 760.355.6426
F: 760.355.6147
E: luis.torres@imperial.edu
W: Imperial Valley College
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Jennifer Park
7250 Mesa College Drive
San Diego, CA 92111
P: 619.388.2632
F: 619.388.5767
E: jpark002@sdccd.edu
W: Mesa College
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Jennifer Pena
10440 Black Mountain Road
San Diego, CA 92126
P: 619.388.7357
E: jpena@sdccd.edu
W: Miramar College
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Dr. Richard Lawrence
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P:
Nancy Rohland-Heinrich
11255 N. Torrey Pines Road
La Jolla, CA 92037
P: 858.642.8824
F: 858.642.8749
E: nrohland@nu.edu
W: National University
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Deanna K. Shoop
1140 West Mission Road/Outreach Services
San Marcos, CA 92069
P: 760.744.1150 x3752
E: dshoop@palomar.edu
W: Palomar College
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Lexii Ybarra
3300 Lomaland Drive
San Diego, CA 92106
P: 619.849.25717
E: lexiiybarra@pointloma.edu
W: Point Loma Nazarene University
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Clarissa Padilla
1313 Park Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92101
P: 619.388.3979
E: cpadilla@sdccd.edu
W: San Diego City College
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Tanya Bulette
6401 Linda Vista Road, Room 325
San Diego, CA 92111
P: 858.569.5459
E: Tanya.bulette@sdcoe.net
W: San Diego County Office of Education
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Board Member TBD
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182
P: TBD
E: TBD
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Brigitte Blazys
3960 Park Boulevard D
San Diego, CA 92103
P: 619.297.4471 x17
E: bblazys@wahupa.org
W: ETS/WAHUPA
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Kellie Nehring
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110
P: 619.260.2234
F: 619.260.7508
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Alfredo Cendejas​
1130 Fifth Ave
Chula Vista, CA 91911
P: 619.585.6045
F: 619.407.4982
E: alfredo.cendejas@sweetwaterschools.org
W: Sweetwater Union High School District
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Tavaris Franklin
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P: