First-Generation Scholars to Receive Fully Covered Housing, Tuition Through New Cal Poly-College Track Partnership

New collaboration covers on-campus housing, tuition, fees, and food costs for 10-15 high-need California scholars, addressing housing scarcity as a structural barrier to first-generation student success

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif., Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- College Track and Cal Poly today announced a new partnership that will provide high-need California scholars with fully covered on-campus housing, mandatory tuition and fees, and food costs. The partnership marks College Track's 23rd college and university partnership and its second with a California State University (CSU) campus, deepening the organization's growing network across 13 communities nationwide.

College Track scholars attending Cal Poly will continue to receive one-on-one coaching, career readiness support, financial literacy education, community-building and other services. In addition, this partnership provides eligible scholars with financial aid to cover many of their direct costs.

"We are deeply grateful to the Madden family, longtime Cal Poly supporters, whose introduction to College Track helped make this partnership possible," said Jeffrey D. Armstrong, Cal Poly president. "Together, we will continue expanding access and opening doors for more high-achieving students to pursue a Learn by Doing education at Cal Poly."

"For a first-generation college student, the promise of higher education is ideally rooted in affordability, choice, and a purposeful career and life upon graduation," says Dr. Shirley M. Collado, President and CEO of College Track. "Our partnership with Cal Poly delivers on this promise by offering something incredibly rare: two distinct campus experiences with meaningful pathways into the workforce. We're thrilled that our partnership also includes fully funded room and board, enabling our scholars to focus completely on earning their degree and launching into a future they've worked to build."

"Dad worked closely with President Armstrong to establish the Madden Scholarship Program for Oakland students," states Mike Madden, Board member, Madden Charities and The John Madden Foundation. "The work and outcomes from College Track Oakland are truly inspirational. Board member Susie Lorenzi had the idea to bring the two together, and all of us at The John Madden Foundation are proud to see it become a formal partnership."

Removing a Structural Barrier to College Completion

On-campus housing at California's public universities is chronically limited and rarely subsidized — a gap that disproportionately affects first-generation and low-income students, for whom stable housing is closely tied to persistence and graduation. Through this new partnership, Cal Poly will offer 10-15 high-need California scholars the opportunity to live on campus with housing, tuition, mandatory fees and dining costs fully covered. Eligible scholars at Cal Poly's San Luis Obispo and Solano campuses will also be invited to participate in the Cal Poly Promise Scholars program, which provides additional financial, academic and community support.

Cal Poly Maritime Academy, located on the Solano campus, is the only degree-granting maritime academy on the U.S. West Coast. The academy requires most students to live on campus for all four years, making the partnership's housing coverage especially critical.

Expanding a Growing Network

This partnership builds on College Track's expanding network of college and university partners committed to closing the gap between college enrollment and completion for first-generation students. As College Track continues to grow this network, partnerships like this one with Cal Poly demonstrate how targeted investment in basic needs, particularly housing, can meaningfully shift outcomes for the students who need it most.

About College Track

College Track's mission is to equip first-generation scholars to earn a bachelor's degree and build lives filled with opportunity, choice, purpose, and power.

Today, more than 4,500 College Track high school and college students across California, Colorado, Louisiana, and the D.C.–Maryland area are pursuing their goal of becoming the first in their family to graduate from college.

Across the country, our alumni represent what's possible when first-generation scholars have long-term support and access to higher education. Ninety-three percent of our scholars are the first in their family to attend college, and 90 percent come from under-resourced communities. They graduate at more than two times the national rate for first-generation peers.

Learn more about our work to expand opportunity and redefine what's possible for the next generation of college graduates at collegetrack.org.

About Cal Poly

Cal Poly is a nationally ranked public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, and known for its Learn by Doing philosophy. Each year more than 23,000 top-tier students come to San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Maritime Academy in Solano County to put knowledge into action, taking their learning outside the classroom as they prepare for careers in engineering, agriculture, science, business, humanities, maritime and the built environment. A part of the CSU, Cal Poly offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs and 50 graduate programs across six colleges, reflecting the idea of polytechnic learning, where many different disciplines come together in applied study. Cal Poly's hands-on philosophy, small class sizes and close student-faculty mentorships result in graduates ready from day one to impact their communities, California and the world. For more information, visit www.calpoly.edu.

SOURCE College Track