SAC Foundation gets $2.21M gift to expand paid internships and career training

Santa Ana College Foundation received a $2.21 million gift from Samueli Foundation on Sept. 13, 2026, to expand paid work-based learning, update automotive training equipment and boost student wages. The investment is the largest private philanthropic gift in SAC Foundation history and is meant to help more students move into living-wage careers.

Why it matters: - The $2.21 million gift is intended to help Santa Ana College students move from school into paid careers with less debt and more real-world experience. - The funding targets Culinary Arts, Automotive Technology and Diesel-Electric Transportation Technology, three programs tied to local workforce demand. - The investment is designed to increase access to living-wage work for students who may otherwise rely on unpaid internships or limited training resources. - Santa Ana College says the gift expands a strategy aimed at growing work-based learning and improving job placement outcomes.

What happened: - Samueli Foundation gave Santa Ana College Foundation $2.21 million on Sept. 13, 2026. - The donation will support paid internships, new automotive equipment and staffing for career-readiness coordination. - SAC Foundation described the donation as the largest private philanthropic gift in its history. - The gift supports Santa Ana College’s effort to expand paid work-based learning and strengthen career pathways.

The details: - $750,000 will launch paid internships through Santa Ana College’s Career Center for Culinary Arts and Automotive Technology students. - The internships will give students compensated hands-on experience with local employers before graduation. - $1.16 million will fund new automotive equipment and modernize instructional labs. - The new equipment includes electric, hybrid and alternative-fuel systems used in the automotive industry. - $300,000 will support faculty and staff who coordinate employer outreach, student support, grant administration and outcome tracking. - Santa Ana College says the college supports more than 16,000 jobs and generates $1.6 billion in annual economic impact for Orange County. - SAC’s Connect to Career initiative has expanded employer partnerships and added support for students who need help turning internships into job offers. - A pilot program also helps students in unpaid internships at sites that could become hiring pipelines. - Dr. Annebelle Nery said a paid internship can change the trajectory of a student’s future. - Christina Romero said the partnership reflects shared values and community investment in student success. - Culinary Arts student Gesselle Gomez Ortega said the funding could help create a new kitchen setting and more space for students, which could increase participation and enrollment.

Between the lines: - The donation is not just a facilities upgrade. It is a workforce strategy built around employer connections, paid experience and better job outcomes. - The emphasis on living wages suggests Santa Ana College is aiming to make its programs more directly tied to economic mobility, not just graduation rates. - The scale of the gift signals outside confidence in SAC’s career pathways model and in the college’s ability to scale it.

What's next: - Santa Ana College will use the money to expand internships, improve labs and staff up career coordination. - The college expects the investment to increase access to paid work-based learning and strengthen employer pipelines. - Community members can support the college’s philanthropy efforts at more information or by contacting foundation@sac.edu. - SAC also directed readers to its social channels, including a LinkedIn post, Instagram and Facebook.

The bottom line: - Samueli Foundation’s gift gives Santa Ana College a major boost in turning classroom training into paid, career-ready experience for students.