Lookout Skyline Community – A new class of Promise Scholars has entered the building! The Fall 2026 Promise Scholars cohort is the largest cohort in recent years with over 450 new scholars joining for the first time. On August 11 and 12, 2026, the Promise Scholars Program hosted its annual Promise Scholars Summer Institute (PSSI) to welcome this new cohort of students to the fall semester. Over the course of two days, 303 of the newest scholars came to the Skyline College campus where they had the chance to meet their counselor, peers, and various campus resources.
Students began their day at 8:30 a.m. in Fireside Dining to check-in, mingle, and enjoy pastries provided by Pac Dining. They then made their way to the theater to learn more about the Promise Scholars Program, tips on how to navigate college, the transfer center, and financial aid services. Afterwards, the Promise Peer Leaders and the Outreach Ambassadors led tour groups to bring students to various resource offices across the campus, such as: Career Services and SPWD, STEM Center/MESA, Transfer Center, Undocumented Community Center, Admissions & Records and Financial Aid, the Health Center, SparkPoint, the bookstore, and more, before breaking for lunch. To end their day, students split off into workshops and drop-in counseling sessions to ensure that come the first day of school, they are ready.
Preparing and executing PSSI, as is the case each year, is not possible without the tremendous support that the Promise Scholars Program receives across campus and from the community. Because of this support, PSSI received overwhelmingly positive feedback from new Promise Scholars. Student feedback included:
“I really liked everything and how the staff and group members presented everything. There is a LOT of help and programs that are really helpful and it makes me feel less stressed and confused. I’m super grateful for all the help and resources the school offers and all the counselors there are. Thank you.”
“I liked how they showed all the counselors so I can know all their names.”
“There was nothing I didn’t like!”
“The thing that I like the most about today’s event is gaining a lot of information about the PSP and campus resources. I’ve got a lot of motivation to continue my studies and am very glad for that. Now, I don’t have to worry about the financial problems and fully focus on my studies. Thank you so much, PSP team.”
Deepest thanks to the campus programs and partners who supported PSSI: Admissions & Records, ASSC, Bookstore, Campus Facilities, Campus Safety, Career Services & SPWD, Counseling, EAC, EOPS, Financial Aid, Health Center, Intercultural Center and Learning Communities, Library, MCPR, Outreach Team, SparkPoint, STEM Center/MESA, TRiO, and the Undocumented Community Center.
And with that, the Fall 2026 cohort of Promise Scholars are ready to take on the new semester!
Article written by: Annalise Harlow, Program Services Coordinator
Photo by: Constanza Barrios, Student Assistant at MCPR
