What is BiGI?
BiGI was created by Dr. Kimberly A. White-Smith, Dean of the School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego, and Pamela Gray Payton, Vice President and Chief Impact and Partnership Officer at the San Diego Foundation, in response to long-standing disparities in educational access, opportunity and outcomes experienced by the Black community in San Diego County. BiGI is open to and serves all students who face disproportionality in educational access and outcomes.
The inequitable distribution of highly qualified teachers, supportive learning environments and essential academic resources has historically limited pathways to educational attainment for too many students. These longstanding gaps served as BiGI’s north star, guiding the creation of a comprehensive model designed to close opportunity disparities for those disproportionately affected.
These disparities often obscure or suppress the inherent genius within children, making it harder for their gifts, talents and possibilities to be fully recognized and nurtured. BiGI exists to illuminate that genius. Our work is to cultivate the brilliance that resides in every young person and to collaborate with school leaders, teachers and caregivers to build new possibilities for the future where these scholars can truly shine.
BiGI prepares sixth through 12th grade students to graduate from high school and pursue college or university — including USD — with the confidence, preparation and skills needed to achieve their academic and career aspirations.
Support BiGI
Be Bold. Join the B-Squad.
When you support BiGI, you step into a community of bold believers committed to nurturing the brilliance of young people whose genius has too often been overlooked. The B-Squad is made up of champions — educators, families, leaders and partners — who refuse to accept opportunity gaps as inevitable and instead invest in creating new possibilities for our scholars.
Your support powers:
- Year-round STEAM enrichment and hands-on learning
- Culturally sustaining mentorship and counseling
- Wraparound services that remove barriers and spark confidence
- College access workshops for students and families
- Training for educators and family members to recognize, affirm and cultivate student genius
- Guidance and resources that strengthen students’ academic, social, and emotional well-being
Every contribution fuels transformation. Every gift opens a door. Every act of generosity helps a young person shine.
Be bold. Stand with us. Join the B-Squad.
If you would like to support BiGI, you can make a gift here:
Together, we are building a future where every young person’s brilliance is seen, nurtured and celebrated.
6th-12th
grade students
7
year program
60
students per cohort
100%
of demonstrated need will be met after being accepted to USD
Nurturing Genius
Launched in 2023, BiGI is grounded in the belief that every young person possesses extraordinary potential. We are committed to supporting students facing systemic barriers — whether related to uneven access to resources, trauma, neurodiversity or other challenges — by providing tailored, culturally sustaining supports that affirm and empower each learner.
Beginning in the sixth grade, students, families and educators participate in summer and Saturday programs that illuminate college and career pathways while building students’ confidence, resilience and sense of belonging.
Through mentorship, responsive teaching practice and guidance from specially trained educators, BiGI provides the resources, relationships and encouragement students need to excel academically and personally, laying the foundation for long-term success.
This support is delivered through year-round programming that includes wraparound services, STEAM-based academics, counseling, college workshops and more.
- What is Genius?
- What does Genius look like?
- How do I discover my Genius?
Genius is the unique gift and innate ability within each student to make a positive impact on their community.
“BiGI compassionately nurtures the next generation of scholars. Each learning experience is infused with excellence and rooted in cultural relevance. Our success lives in the ways our scholars grow into their genius — held in love, honored in their full humanity, prepared for college, careers, and community contribution, and living with the deep knowing that they matter in the world.”
Our Goal
By bringing together students, families, educators and community partners, BiGI is creating pathways that bridge gaps in educational opportunity, ensuring every student has the chance to succeed. We work to expand opportunity and transform what learning can look like when students are empowered to bring their full selves to the classroom.
Our program grew out of the demonstrated needs of the San Diego region’s families and children, and our focus is on fostering an environment where every student feels respected, supported and empowered to succeed.
BiGI benefits a variety of youth, including those who are disproportionately represented in rates of suspensions, expulsion, chronic absenteeism, gifted program enrollment, high school graduation, college matriculation, college graduation, law enforcement referrals and special education referrals.
Additionally, we work directly with our students to impact and elevate their educational attainment and engagement, providing training to educators in neuroscience, neurobiology, trauma and mindfulness to better serve all learners, including those with learning differences, such as dyslexia, ADD, ADHD, trauma and autism.
Our Impact
"BiGI will help Black youth recognize their own genius and ingenious, and close the achievement gap in San Diego."
―Novien Yarber, Ph.D., Senior fellow for Leadership, Philanthropy and Social Impact at the Nonprofit Institute at University of San Diego
Program Timeline
March 1, 2026
Application Opens
March 31, 2026
Application Due
May 1, 2026
Announce acceptance into BiGI program
May 6, 2026
Rites of Passage - rising 9th grade only
May 28, 2026
New Scholar Orientation
June 13, 2026
BiGI Family BBQ
June 22nd - July 3rd, 2026
BiGI Summer Academy for returning cohort - rising 7th graders
July 6th - July 17th, 2026
BiGI Summer Academy for new cohort - rising 6th graders
June 22nd - June 26th, 2026
BiGI Summer Academy for returning cohort - rising 8th graders
June 29th - July 3rd, 2026
BiGI Summer Academy for returning cohort - rising 9th graders
July 18, 2026
STEAM Youth & Community Conference
August 2026
BiGI Induction Ceremony
September 2026
BiGI Academic Year Program Starts
Impact Stories & Insight
Committed to providing resources to students and their families, the BiGI is a partnership between the San Diego Foundation, University of San Diego and the San Diego Unified School District. Read about the impact BiGI will have on the community.
Partnered with
Rooted in Partnership and Proven Success
Committed to providing resources to students and their families, BiGI is a partnership between the University of San Diego’s School of Leadership and Education Sciences and San Diego Foundation (SDF). We received a $1.5 million grant from the San Diego Foundation (SDF) Black Community Investment Fund to launch BiGI.
Our program is modeled after a 31-year-old program at the University of Southern California, the Leslie and William McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative.
Contact Us
Sean Green, Ph.D.
Director, BiGI
Assistant Dean for Innovation and Community Engagement