A $30 million Promise for the next generation
When Dariana Zavala got home from kindergarten, school was just beginning. She would race to her bedroom, grab her dolls, and lead them in reciting their ABCs.
Today, Zavala is no longer pretending to be a teacher but working toward becoming one, pursuing San Jacinto College’s Bachelor of Applied Science in early childhood education. And her childhood dream is happening thanks to the Promise @ San Jac Scholarship.
“The Promise Scholarship didn’t create my dream of becoming a teacher, but it gave me the opportunity to pursue it — to turn something I dreamed about as a child into a real career goal,” she said.
Turning dreams into degrees
Zavala numbers among nearly 14,000 students who have become Promise Scholars since 2021. Like nearly two-thirds of Promise Scholars, she is the first in her family to pursue a degree.
“The scholarship allowed me to focus more on my classes and my future instead of worrying
how I would pay for my education,” Zavala said.
Funded through generous donors, Promise has provided more than $11.8 million in tuition and academic support to students pursuing workforce certificates and associate degrees. Some, like Zavala, pursue a bachelor’s degree at San Jac after completing their Promise funding.
The community’s investment is paying off. Not only are Promise Scholars graduating and persisting at higher rates than their peers, but the in-district college-going rate has climbed from 40.7% to 56.8% in less than five years.
Investing beyond the classroom
Promise’s impact extends beyond college.
Each fall, about 2,500 in-district high school graduates become Promise Scholars. After finishing at San Jac, they bring new skills into the workforce while strengthening their families’ economic stability.
“The students supported through Promise become the nurses, technicians, educators, first responders, petrochemical operators, and skilled workers who keep our community and economy successful,” said Dr. Samantha Miro, San Jacinto College Foundation executive director.
Far-Reaching Impact
"The students supported through Promise become the nurses, technicians, educators, first responders, petrochemical operators, and skilled workers who keep our community and economy successful."
Dr. Samantha Miro
San Jacinto College Foundation executive director
For Miro, that makes Promise much more than a scholarship program.
“It’s a lasting investment in the region's workforce and economic opportunity,” she said. “It will allow more students to enroll, persist, and complete credentials in high-demand fields and start the next chapter of their journey without the burden of student loans.”
Reaching the goal
The community has invested significantly in that vision. Thanks to nearly 650 individuals, industry partners, foundations, and community organizations, San Jac reached the $30 million Promise endowment goal to ensure the program is here to stay.
The endowment ensures that San Jac will remain in a position to offer financial support for eligible students in this region, though community members may still support Promise Scholars to expand and scale its reach and impact.
“Many students continue to face financial obstacles, family obligations, and life challenges that interrupt their education,” Miro said. “Completing the endowment ensures future generations of Promise Scholars can access the financial support to overcome those barriers and succeed long-term.”
That future matters even to community members whose children and grandchildren have already finished college. When students earn credentials and enter careers, employers gain talent. Families experience greater financial stability. And the community benefits from the resulting economic growth.
For Zavala, that impact will begin when she welcomes kids into her classroom for the first time.
“I love the idea of helping children learn, grow, and become more confident in themselves,” she said. “I want to create a classroom where my students feel safe, supported, and excited to come to school.”
A gift to Promise makes dreams like Zavala’s possible for students now and for generations to come.
Learn more about becoming a Promise Partner
Promise by the Numbers
39.8%
Three-year graduation rate for Promise Scholars (compared with 24.4% for non-Promise students)
80%
Promise Scholars who persist from first to second semester (compared to 65% among other students)
56.8%
In-district college-going rate (up from 40.7% in 2020)
$11.8 million
Tuition and academic support awarded since launch
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today,
and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris
County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than
1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving
the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020 and 2026. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution
that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately
45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and
certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer
to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding
bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s. San Jacinto College is
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
