Christeyne Phan (right) and her daughter Rayne Althaus
Christeyne Phan should have been celebrating when she paid her college tuition. Instead,
her heart sank. There was no money left for books, supplies, or even gas to get to
classes.
Heartbroken, the 18-year-old had to withdraw from school. While classmates picked
up student IDs and joined campus clubs, she turned to job ads.
Decades later at the San Jacinto College Foundation gala, Phan felt an instant connection to students who shared similar struggles.
“As someone who had to delay college, I understand deeply how lack of resources can
derail a young person’s path,” she said.
But students at the gala also shared how the Promise @ San Jac Scholarship is covering their tuition and books, allowing them to pursue a degree debt-free.
“Promise is fulfilling my dreams, my career, and my future,” one San Jac student said.
Connecting with the scholarship’s mission, Phan became a Promise Partner on the spot.
Returning to school
After her early disappointment, it took years before Phan found the courage — or resources
— to apply to college again. Life moved on: She started a family and continued working.
The dream persisted, though.
“I always knew I wanted to finish what I’d started,” she said.
Finally, with two young kids at home, Phan enrolled in an online degree program to
show them the importance of persevering and learning.
“It’s not just about qualifying for a job,” she said. “It’s about finding your voice,
expanding your potential, and creating opportunities that weren’t accessible before.”
[College is] not just about qualifying for a job. It’s about finding your voice, expanding
your potential, and creating opportunities that weren’t accessible before.
In 2011, Phan graduated with an Associate of Arts in health care administration and
pharmacy practice. Today she’s a vice president of sales, operations, and strategy
for Powerforce Inc., a transportation and logistics company. While education advanced
her career, she never forgot the barriers she overcame to get there.
Giving others a chance
Phan had no connection to San Jac before her daughter Rayne Althaus began attending
through a softball scholarship in 2022. Though not a Promise Scholar, Althaus thrived
at the South Campus, from the softball field to the biology lab.
When Phan learned about the Promise @ San Jac Scholarship — the opportunity for in-district
high school grads to earn a debt-free degree — she wanted to open doors for students
like her daughter.
Since 2020, Promise @ San Jac has helped more than 6,700 students attend college debt-free,
many the first in their families.
“Seeing firsthand how San Jac supported students like my daughter, I didn’t hesitate
to become a Promise Partner,” she said.
Embracing detours
Without a strong support system in her youth, Phan had to find her own way. Life was
messy, and she delayed her dreams. But she embraces her story and wants others to
find hope from it.
“Your story doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s to be meaningful,” she said. “In
fact, it’s often the detours, the delays, and the challenges that shape the strongest,
most resilient individuals.”
Her encouragement for Promise Scholars?
“You’re not alone,” she said. “There are people like me cheering for you, believing
in you, and investing in your potential, not because of what you can do but because
of who you are and who you’re becoming.”
I’ve been fortunate to find success. It feels not only meaningful but necessary to
give back and support a program that changes lives.
Phan once lacked access or resources — now she’s giving them to others. In fact, she
enjoys paying it forward through Promise.
“I’ve been fortunate to find success,” she said. “It feels not only meaningful but
necessary to give back and support a program that changes lives.”
Like Phan, you can help change a student’s future.
Join us for the San Jacinto College Foundation’s 25th anniversary Couture for a Cause Gala on Friday, April 24, 2026! Seats and sponsorships are available now. The gala benefits
the Promise @ San Jac Scholarship.
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today,
and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris
County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than
1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving
the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution
that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately
45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and
certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer
to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding
bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s. San Jacinto College is
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
