The Central Valley is home to one of the largest immigrant communities in the world, where people from across the globe come seeking opportunity, safety, and socio-economic mobility. With this migration comes a beautifully diverse group of individuals who enrich our communities with their cultures, knowledge, and lived experiences, many of whom are categorized by political and systemic structures based on their documentation status.

At Central Valley Scholars, we understand that migrant students often face unique challenges in their educational journeys. These may include learning and adapting to new languages and cultural norms, navigating institutions not designed with them in mind, and confronting national and local xenophobic sentiments. We also recognize that migrant students hold valuable wisdom, perspective, and leadership that can strengthen and transform our educational systems. We believe these students deserve a safe, welcoming, and supportive space in our communities and in education.

The Mariposa Student Scholarship honors exemplary students in the Central Valley who, despite facing various obstacles, continue to pursue their educational journeys with resilience and vision. Our scholarships are grounded in the belief that all students are worth investing in, and we select awardees based on identity, need, and potential for growth, uplifting those whom traditional educational institutions often overlook. This scholarship invites vulnerability, encourages empowerment, and provides migrant students in the Central Valley the space to share their stories in their own voices.
For the purposes of this scholarship, a migrant student is defined broadly as an individual who is not a U.S. citizen and who may hold a wide range of immigration-related experiences or classifications. This includes, but is not limited to, individuals without current immigration papers, refugees, asylees, DACA recipients, and those under temporary protected status.