Welcome!

South Central Scholars is a group of volunteers, all educated professionals who work with disadvantaged, highly motivated, inner city high school students to help them be successful in college and graduate school. Through education, mentorship and our jobs program, the students of South Central Scholars develop their full potential and become future leaders, both within SCS and in the broader community.

SCS was founded in 2001 to support one student matriculating at the University of California, Berkeley. The next year, we grew to support 32 students. Today, approximately 625 students are either in our program currently or recent college graduates, including 288 graduated scholars and 85 freshmen students in the high school class of 2011.

To date, SCS has distributed almost 3 million dollars in scholarships!

Video on the advantages of Ivy League & Liberal Arts Colleges

During the fall of 2011, SCS founders Dr. James T. London & Mrs. Patricia London visited nearly a dozen east coast universities to meet with SCS Scholars and campus liaisons. As part of the trip, the founders interviewed several of the students to get their take on what it's like to attend an Ivy League or Small Liberal Arts college outside of California.

Click here to watch the interviews!

Are you a Student interested in South Central Scholars?

Visit our High School Center for valuable tools, links, and information.

Fill out our Online Intake Form and get on our mailing list!

Beginning in 2011, we are expanding our high school outreach!

SCS now makes high school visits to the following:

Birmingham HS, Bravo Medical Magnet, Bright Star Charter, City Honors Inglewood, Gertz-Retzler HS, Hamilton HS, Harbor Teacher Prep Academy, LA International Charter, Lakewood HS, Long Beach Poly HS, Long Beach Wilson HS, Los Angeles HS, Lou Danzler Charter HS, Narbonne HS, Port of Los Angeles HS, Price HS, Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, Taft HS, Venice HS, and Washington Prep HS.

Note: SCS began to build relationships with some of these schools in 2010.

South Central Scholars is in the spotlight!

Congratulations to South Central Scholars for its recent highlights in the media!

Meredith Curry wins Best Pitch at the Social Innovation 2010 Fast Pitch Contest

Thank you to Los Angeles Social Venture Partners for the opportunity to apply, participate, and compete. Watch the video of the pitch!

Peninsula People: South Central Scholars Gala

Thank you to Peninsula People and Diane Bassett for their support of South Central Scholars.

Los Angeles Daily Journal: South Central Scholars is honored by Alston & Bird

Thank you to supporter Sharon Rubalcava and board member Alex Rubalcava for making this a memorable evening for staff and students that attended. We are proud to have the support of Alston & Bird!

Los Angeles Weekly: South Central Scholars

Thank you to staff writer Cynthia Griffin for her interest in our program and for promoting our conference!

Profiles in Caring: South Central Scholars  

Thank you to Doug Jardine and his group for doing a remarkable job of capturing the essence of South Central Scholars!

Los Angeles Times: Highlight of a South Central Scholar

Thank you to LA Times reporter Esmeralda Bermudez for reaching out to our organization and telling the story of a South Central LA student!