Inner-City Students Share More Than $1 Million To Attend College

SANTA ANA, Calif.---Sixty-six Santa Ana high school students from the Nicholas Academic Centers are defying the odds and attending top colleges and universities, including Georgetown, Smith, Morningside, Wabash, Allegheny, Hampshire, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC San Diego and Cal Poly Pomona.

“And I am grateful to Henry Nicholas and the very successful partnership we have forged over the last 2 ½ years.”
The free after-school tutoring and mentoring program is funded by the Henry T. Nicholas, III Foundation, established in 2006 by the co-founder and former chief executive officer of Broadcom Corp.

The Nicholas Academic Centers serve hundreds of disadvantaged at-risk but high-potential students in the Santa Ana Unified School District on a daily basis throughout the school year and summer with the ultimate goal of sending each student to college. The role of the Centers is to supplement the efforts of teachers, guidance counselors and parents.

Of the 66 NAC students attending college this year, 36 plan to attend four-year schools. Combined, the students earned more than $1 million in scholarships and federal aid, with many students receiving full four-year scholarships. In 2009, the first full year of graduating seniors from the centers, 24 NAC graduates went on to college.

The 2010 graduates will be honored this evening (June 2) at a ceremony at the Nicholas residence in Newport Coast, CA.

The Centers are based on a program started by Retired Superior Court Judge Jack Mandel in the early 1990s in an effort to fill an urgent need for after-school tutoring and mentoring in Santa Ana. In 2007, Judge Mandel partnered with Henry Nicholas, to create the Nicholas Academic Centers. The first center opened in 2008 and the second center followed a year later.

“Through the hard work of Judge Mandel and the dedicated staff at the Nicholas Academic Centers, we are helping to send highly gifted and talented students to college,” said Dr. Nicholas, who established the Henry T. Nicholas, III Foundation in 2006. “We see ourselves as partners with the dedicated teachers, administrators and, most importantly, the parents who work day in and day out to help these students overcome tough odds. We congratulate the students and their families and wish them all the best in this next chapter of life.”

“I am so proud of our students and what they have achieved,” said Judge Mandel. “And I am grateful to Henry Nicholas and the very successful partnership we have forged over the last 2 ½ years.”

Added Dr. Corina Espinoza, newly appointed assistant executive director for the Centers:

“This is an important milestone for the Centers and one we hope to exceed each year as we continue to build our program.”

About the Nicholas Academic Centers

The Nicholas Academic Centers are directed by retired Superior Court Judge Jack Mandel and higher education expert Dr. Corina Espinoza, and funded by the Henry T. Nicholas, III Foundation. Located in downtown Santa Ana and on the campus of Valley High in Santa Ana, the Centers provide free tutoring and mentoring for students, as well as computers and a safe and comfortable place to study. Become a fan of the Nicholas Academic Centers on Facebook.

About the Henry T. Nicholas, III Foundation

The Henry T. Nicholas, III Foundation was established in 2006 with the goal of improving communities and individual lives through investment in Education, Youth Sports, Technology, Science, Medical Research, Victim’s Rights and National Defense. The Foundation was created by Dr. Henry Nicholas, co-founder of Irvine, Calif.-based Broadcom Corporation. For more information on the Foundation visit www.htnfoundation.org.