Motivate. Mentor. Empower.

The Central Valley Project (CVP) exists to make higher education feel possible for students who are too often left navigating the process on their own. We serve high school and community college students from the Central Valley, an area with many communities with limited access to college advising, campus exposure, and financial resources. At CVP, we work to change that reality by surrounding students with mentorship, guidance, and experiences that build confidence and clarity. Today, 86% of CVP mentees identify as first-generation college students, and 3 out of 4 mentees come from low-income households.

Students from the Central Valley face barriers that extend far beyond academics. Long distances from universities, lack of transportation, and limited institutional support can make college feel abstract or out of reach. Without early exposure to campus life or mentors who have navigated the process themselves, many capable students never see higher education as an attainable option.

CVP addresses these gaps through consistent, hands-on programming. UCLA mentors host in-person sites on biweekly Saturdays in Porterville. Sites bring mentorship and college preparation directly to students in their communities. Our main event, Shadow Day, offers our mentees a free 3-day trip to UCLA. Shadow Day allows students to step onto the UCLA campus, attend classes, and imagine themselves as college students for the first time. Community service events encourage students to give back and lead within the places that shaped them. These experiences create momentum, belonging, and long-term impact.

Support from donors directly sustains this work. Contributions help fund transportation, meals, program materials, and cover the full cost, which removes logistical barriers and ensures students can fully participate. Every gift strengthens CVP’s ability to meet students where they are and walk alongside them as they plan their futures.

The impact of CVP reaches beyond individual students. Families gain access to information and reassurance, communities benefit from students who return with knowledge and leadership, and higher education becomes more reflective of the talent that exists in the Central Valley. When students believe they belong in college, the effects ripple outward for years to come.

By contributing to CVP, you are investing in access, representation, and opportunity. Your support helps students not only to reach college but arrive with confidence, purpose, and the tools to succeed. We are grateful for your partnership in building a future where Central Valley students are seen, supported, and empowered.

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Should this fund reach the campus minimum required for the establishment of an endowment or quasi-endowment, The UCLA Foundation reserves the right to convert this fund to an endowment or quasi-endowment. Please click here to learn more about how the UCLA Foundation invests and manages its endowments.