For two decades, the University of California, Berkeley’s Hope Scholars program has provided support to students who have experienced foster care or childhood homelessness. The program began in 2005 as the Cal Independent Scholars Network and was created by Michelle Kniffin, then an assistant director of university housing. She was motivated after learning about a new student who arrived at Berkeley alone with minimal belongings and no bedding.
Initially run by one employee for one student, Hope Scholars now has a full-time staff of four and has supported more than 360 students over its history, including 170 in the current year. The program expanded under its current director, Charly King Beavers, tripling enrollment between 2020 and 2022 and extending services to graduate students.
Beavers highlighted the significance of the program’s mission during its anniversary celebration: “20 years of proving that when we invest in students who have experienced foster care or childhood homelessness, we are investing in brilliance, in leaders, in scholars and changemakers.”
The program offers comprehensive support such as peer mentorship, financial advising, mental health services, academic counseling—often from former Hope Scholars themselves—and practical assistance like move-in packages and stipends. Students receive $3,000 their first year and $2,000 in subsequent years; graduate students get a $6,000 stipend.
Peer advisor Alexis Wood described her initial college experience as disorienting due to a lack of familiarity with academic norms. After transferring to UC Berkeley and becoming involved with Hope Scholars as a graduate student mentor, she found value in helping others navigate similar challenges. “Charly and Rebeca are always there in the way you don’t get in a university system,” said Wood.
The program also fosters community through social events like game nights and gratitude dinners. It provides opportunities for professional development by organizing networking events with retired professors and facilitating internship placements.
Erick Mendes serves as another peer adviser while completing his studies at Berkeley. Set to become the first college graduate in his biological family after entering foster care at age five, Mendes noted: “It’s just much more approachable, and it feels accessible and more welcoming” to talk to fellow students.
Alumni shared their experiences during an anniversary panel discussion. Sonia Aldape credited Hope Scholars for helping her recover from academic probation: “It is also one of the reasons I ultimately became a therapist because I saw the great impact it had simply being an emotionally supportive space.”
At the event’s conclusion, Beavers announced that Hope Scholars would triple its office space within the César Chavez Student Center to accommodate growing demand.
Reflecting on the evolution of the program’s name from Cal Independent Scholars Network to Hope Scholars in 2015, Beavers told attendees: “Hope is not a passive word; it’s not something to wait for. It’s something we build every day together. It’s what carried our students through uncertainty and challenge. It’s what turned this small program into a legacy.”
