At Southwestern College, we believe talent is everywhere and opportunity must be made accessible. One of the most powerful ways we achieve that is through scholarships. These financial opportunities help students focus less on monetary stress and more on their dreams.
Every year, our community steps up to make that belief a reality. And the results are extraordinary!
The Southwestern College Foundation will open applications for more than 75 scholarships totaling over $350,000 beginning in February.
These scholarships are not just financial awards. They are investments in people, in potential, and in the future of our region.
One student’s story illustrates this better than any statistic ever could.
Krystal Role’s journey to Southwestern College began more than a thousand miles away, on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Raised by her mother and stepfather, Krystal grew up surrounded by the ocean and guided by a simple but powerful message: seek opportunity, even if it means leaving home.
She immigrated to the United States just two and a half years ago, alone. She adapted to a new country, a new culture, and a father she was meeting for the first time. While English was taught in school back home, conversational English and American college life were unfamiliar territory. What was clear to her was a dream: she wanted to become a scientist.
While working her first job in Imperial Beach and hearing coworkers talk about college, Krystal began researching her options. Around that same time, a Southwestern College ad appeared, quite literally, on her social media feed. She enrolled just in time for Spring 2024.
Then, life intervened. Krystal returned to the Philippines to be with her grandfather during his final days battling cancer. That experience transformed her interest in science into a calling. “I realized hope isn’t enough when you’re dealing with cancer,” she shared. “I want to give people answers.”
Today, Krystal is a Molecular and Cellular Biology major with a focus on biomedicine and biochemistry. She is currently pursuing a future in oncology with plans to earn both an MD and a PhD. She has already completed a highly competitive internship with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and currently conducts DNA extraction research through the SDSU Research Foundation at the Naval Information Warfare Center.
Like many of our students, Krystal balances ambition with real-world constraints. To continue her studies, last fall she applied for Southwestern College Foundation scholarships and was awarded four. That support helped cover books, lab materials, and essential expenses allowing her to focus on learning and research rather than financial survival.
But the impact went beyond dollars.
“It means my story mattered to someone,” Krystal said. “It means I was heard. Someone believes in me.”
That belief is at the heart of what we do. Even when faced with setbacks, including the loss of another prestigious scholarship due to a technicality, Krystal persevered. In fact, she remains on track to graduate in Spring 2026.
Her story reminds us that scholarships don’t simply fund education. Scholarships create space for resilience, purpose, and possibility. They help students weather uncertainty, recover from setbacks, and keep moving forward.
To our local community: thank you for believing in our students. Your support turns aspirations into achievements and opens doors that might otherwise remain closed. To our students: if you are wondering whether your story matters, I assure you, it does.
At Southwestern College, opportunity begins with access. And together, we are building futures one scholarship, one student, one dream at a time.
If you’re interested in supporting SWC students through a scholarship, please contact the SWC Foundation at swcfoundation@swccd.edu. 99% of donations directly benefit SWC students.
Dr. Mark Sanchez is superintendent/president of Southwestern College.
