A record-breaking 227 students at the San Diego College of Continuing Education will be honored during the college’s 15th annual Stars on the Rise scholarship and awards event set for April 21 at the Educational Cultural Complex in Southeast San Diego.

“The Stars on the Rise event is our opportunity to come together as a community and celebrate the achievements of our students at all levels; the generosity of our donors, the resilience of our students, and the benefits to our communities represented by these awards and scholarships cannot be overstated,” said Neill Kovrig, president of the San Diego College of Continuing Education Foundation, which sponsors the event and funds most of the scholarships and awards. “For so many students, this is a chance to be recognized for things that they might have thought impossible before coming here.”

Stars on the Rise is scheduled to get under way at 4 p.m. at the Educational Cultural Complex theatre.

A scholarship committee reviewed a record 742 applications in providing 188 scholarships and awards. An additional 33 cash awards are being granted by the Acquired Brain Injury/Anne Heller Trust, and six awards are funded by the American Federation of Teachers Local 1931 Larry Schwartz Memorial Scholarship program.

Among those being honored are Debora Greene, who is earning the Sankofa Award, which was endowed by President Tina M. King, Ed.D. and is presented to an adult learner who has worked to advance their life at the College of Continuing Education and who has demonstrated a commitment to community service and development; 34 students receiving the Acquired Brain Injury Program/Anne Heller Scholarship, given to those who have experienced a significant, positive change in their quality of life resulting from the San Diego College of Continuing Education’s Acquired Brain Injury program; San Diego Community College District student trustee and Continuing Education student Julia Kogan, who is being presented with the President’s Award; and Sam Hajj and Tammy White, who are receiving the Chancellor’s Scholarship.

More than $80,000 scholarships and awards are being granted in all. For students at the San Diego College of Continuing Education, the funds can mean the difference between staying in school or dropping out for a lack of finances. Nearly half of students reported earning less than an annual income of less than $5,000 and just 23% reported earning an income of $35,000 or more. Despite such challenges, the San Diego College of Continuing Education is among the leading providers of workforce training in the region, with its career and technical education programs alone pumping nearly $250 million annually into the regional economy.