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Support The Achievement Award Program

Established in 1999, The Achievement Award Program (TAAP) provides students from low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented* backgrounds access to higher education and resources for their personal, academic, and professional growth.

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Who TAAP Serves

More than 500
TAAP Scholars awarded since 1999

100%
from low-income backgrounds		 70%
are first-year students		 80%
from underrepresented* backgrounds
87%
are first-generation college students		 30%
are transfer students		 10%
are undocumented

* CAA has identified Black/African/African American, Chicanx/Latinx, Native American/Alaska Native, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander as underrepresented groups on campus.

 

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Financial Support

TAAP provides vital financial support to scholars.

• $6,000 annual scholarship

• $1,000 tech support stipend for all incoming students

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Emergency Support

During the pandemic, TAAP rose to meet scholars’ needs.

• 40 emergency grants awarded

• $38,272 total in emergency grant support

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Program Support

Purposeful programming helps students achieve success at and beyond UC Berkeley.

• One-on-one advising

• Workshops and events

• Specialized programming for undocumented and transfer students

• Mentorship and networking opportunities with Cal alumni

Stories of Achievement

Eric Esparza '22 / Photo Credit: CJ Poloka / Cal Alumni Association
News

Against the Odds

Eric Esparza is an Achievement Award Program (TAAP) Scholar in UC Berkeley’s Class of 2022. Below are his reflections on his journey to UC Berkeley.
Klein Lieu ’13 honors his mother, Mai Huynh, through an endowment that bears her name: “This woman is my inspiration for everything.” / Courtesy of Klein Lieu
News

When You Drink Water, Remember the Source

One student pays it forward in his continued fight for social justice.
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Setting a Road Map to Success

Attending college can be a challenge for formerly incarcerated students. No one knows better than TAAP scholars John Lam ’23 and Michelle Maxwell ’23.

Scholars Count on Your Support

The Achievement Award Program's scholarships are made possible thanks to generous alumni and friends who invest in TAAP Scholars. Your contribution to TAAP ensures outstanding Cal students have access to a world-renowned education today and for years to come.

Give to TAAP

History of The Achievement Award Program

In the spring of 1998, a task force was charged with putting together what would become The Achievement Award Program (TAAP). The general parameters of the endeavor were clear: establish a scholarship program for high-achieving students from low-income communities in California.

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first taap cohort In 1999, The Achievement Award Program welcomed its first cohort of Alumni Scholars.
Become a Sponsor

Hear from our Alumni Scholars about TAAP's impact for undergraduate students.

TAAP: A Community at Cal

  • “It’s important to have a safe space on campus where you can talk to others who may know what you’re going through whether that be financial matters or feeling impostor syndrome.”

    Omotara Oloye ’21, TAAP Scholar

  • “I’m grateful for not only an academic setting, but for the emotional support, mental support, and resources. The sky is the limit!”

    John Lam ’23, TAAP Scholar

Alumni: Become a TAAP Volunteer

Alumni volunteers provide important connections for prospective students. By serving during the application and interview process, you provide a friendly face and vital perspective for TAAP applicants.

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Show your support for TAAP Scholars today.

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Your Support Matters

Areas of Support
Why Give to the Alumni Scholars Program?

Your gift to CAA keeps Cal golden and the future of current Berkeley students bright.

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Questions? Contact the Alumni Scholars Program team.