The Samueli Foundation, based in Corona del Mar, has announced a multi-year investment of more than $24 Million in five leading Orange County colleges.
This funding will fuel advancements in academic infrastructure, expand programs and support the launch of innovative initiatives designed to boost workforce development and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) transfer student success rates and degree completion.
As cost of living escalates, many of Orange County’s underrepresented groups, including first-generation and female students, are having to choose between working in lower-wage jobs and earning an education. By providing financial and academic support that leads to high-demand, skilled jobs, such students can stay in school, complete their degrees and achieve stable careers.
“Investing in STEM and broader educational attainment has always been a focus of the Samueli Foundation, given that math and engineering are at the heart of our founders’ personal stories of success,” said Lindsey Spindle, president of Samueli Family Philanthropies. “However, these investments broaden our historical approach and introduce a new set of essential partners. We have exceptional community colleges in Orange County. By investing in colleges’ capacity and expanding student supports, we help strengthen pathways to high-demand, living-wage careers. We envision an Orange County where opportunity is more evenly distributed, allowing for even more young professionals to set roots and prosper here.”
Expanding Workforce Development Opportunities
The Samueli Foundation is committing $8.2 million to three local community colleges to expand workforce development programs leading to living-wage roles in high-need sectors.
The three community colleges receiving workforce development investments include:
Golden West College: Golden West College will expand its highly successful nursing program, helping to address the critical nursing shortages that hospitals across Orange County are facing. The strategic funding will support expansion of partnerships with local high schools to raise awareness of nursing careers and grow dual-enrollment opportunities; hire four additional faculty members; enroll 150 students each semester; and allow for upgrades to its clinical training technology, such as within its high-tech “mini hospital” simulation lab.
Orange Coast College: Orange Coast College will build on its proven “career academy” model for dual-enrollment high school students by expanding its established Allied Health Academy and creating new trade and maritime academies. The initiative aims to increase awareness among young students about the diverse career paths available to them, ranging from health careers like radiologic technician to trades like welding and maritime careers.
Saddleback College: To keep pace with innovation, Saddleback College will expand its work-based experiential learning program that pairs students with paid opportunities to get hands-on application at the same time they are getting theoretical application in the classroom. Employers who participate are reimbursed for 50 percent of the wages paid to student interns. This win/win opportunity for companies and students creates a confidence-boosting chance for hesitant students to try on a role they may never have considered, while helping employers to identify and train potential permanent employees.
Strategic Support for STEM Transfer Students
According to the Orange County Business Council’s 2024-2025 Community Indicators report, STEM-related bachelor’s degrees conferred at Orange County colleges and universities declined by 5 percent from 2022 to 2023. The largest decline occurred in computer degrees, which fell by 20 percent. Of the nearly 80 percent of community college students who express interest in earning a bachelor’s degree, around one-third transfer to a four-year university, but just 16 percent complete a bachelor’s degree and only 14 percent do so in a STEM field. With that in mind, the Samueli Foundation is dedicating $12 million over the next three years to four leading Orange County colleges to improve graduation rates for students pursuing degrees in STEM.
Orange County STEM Regional Collaboration
The Samueli Foundation is funding a three-year, $4 million regional collaborative initiative with Fullerton College, Irvine Valley College, Orange Coast College and Cal State Fullerton that recognizes that successful STEM transfer depends on a well-coordinated ecosystem and brings together community colleges and the university to reduce barriers, strengthen pathways and expand opportunities for students pursuing STEM degrees. The project will enable the institutions to leverage shared resources and expertise to amplify impact, foster student belonging and cultivate the next generation of STEM leaders across the region. The funding will also allow for dedicated faculty to support these programs.
In addition to the collaborative funding, each of the institutions have received funding for their respective STEM transfer initiatives.
About the Samueli Foundation: The Foundation invests in education to strengthen community well-being and expand access to opportunity. By partnering with local colleges, the Foundation strengthens the region’s workforce pipeline and advances its mission to improve well-being for all. Visit https://www.samueli.org.
