Linda P.B. Katehi, chancellor of the University of California, Davis, today announced the expansion of two programs at UC Davis aimed at increasing college opportunity for first-generation and low-income students.

At an event at the White House, the president and first lady, Barack and Michelle Obama, convened education leaders from across the country and announced the universities’ new commitments to increase opportunities in higher education. UC Davis responded to this call of action by dramatically expanding two of its key programs that help disadvantaged students attend and succeed at UC Davis.

“As a public university, UC Davis holds a special responsibility to make our world class education accessible and affordable to all students, and as chancellor, I consider this my highest priority,” Katehi said. “I look forward to helping make the White House’s new effort a success and to ensuring that the doors to UC Davis remain wide open to students in California and all over the world.”

UC Davis will be expanding both the Special Transitional Enrichment Program (STEP) and Transfer Opportunity Program (TOP).

STEP provides first-generation, low-income freshman students with transitional classes and skills development activities to enhance their capacity in meeting academic goals. This year, 50 additional students will participate and ultimately there will be capacity for every eligible student to participate. STEP begins with a four-week summer residential program and continues through students’ first two years on campus. This program helps strengthen students’ learning skills and study habits and prepares them for university-level academic work.

TOP will expand to include 35 community colleges statewide. This program helps community college students seamlessly transition into UC Davis academic programs, providing access and ensuring success of first-generation and low-income students.

“Every American deserves a shot at the American Dream, and education is the most important ingredient in this pursuit. However, nearly half — 42 percent — of children who are born in poverty will stay in poverty,” said John Garamendi, former lieutenant governor and member of the UC Board of Regents and now a member of the U.S. House of Representatives — and the father of three Aggie alums.

“I commend UC Davis for recognizing the challenges that low-income and first-generation students face and for taking groundbreaking steps toward making college graduation attainable for all. It shouldn’t matter where you come from. What matters is where you want to go and how hard you’re willing to work to get there.”

Collectively, UC Davis provided more than $260 million in scholarships and grants to undergraduate students during the 2012-13 academic year and about 44 percent of undergraduates received Pell Grants. During that same year, 53 percent of all UC Davis undergraduates received enough gift aid to fully cover their systemwide tuition and fees. Forty-four percent of those who earned bachelor's degrees in 2011-12 graduated without any debt. About three in 10 new UC Davis freshmen are from low-income families and would be in the first generation of their family to graduate from a four-year university.