October 29, 2007
Grants make college a reality for local students
Rochester city high school students long on college
aspirations but short on support may soon find themselves full-time
undergraduates thanks to the launch of two new Upward Bound programs at the
University.
The announcement of a $2 million award from the United
States Department of Education will be made today at a press conference at
Thomas Jefferson High School. The funding will be used to operate a program
targeting students at Thomas Jefferson High School, and another for math
and science enthusiasts across the Rochester City School District. The
initiatives combined will receive roughly $500,000 annually over the next
four years and serve as many as 100 students from low-income households or
who are the first in their family intent on attending college.
“The University is delighted to partner with the
Rochester City School District to help more of our city’s students
realize their dream of attending college,” says President Seligman.
“Today’s students are in a real sense the future of our
society. Those with a supportive school system as well as encouragement
from the community have the best chance of making the future that much
brighter.”
“We are very excited the University of
Rochester is expanding its already strong presence in our schools by
offering this tremendous opportunity for students at Jefferson High
School,” says Rochester Interim Superintendent of Schools William
Cala. “This project will provide unprecedented levels of support to
keep students on track toward graduation and to open the doors to college
that might otherwise remain closed.”
Under the Upward Bound programs, which are the first
of their kind at the University and will comprise the largest such
initiative in the district, as many as 100 students will visit River Campus
weekly for tutoring and other cultural enrichment activities provided by
the David T. Kearns Center for Leadership and Diversity in Science and
Engineering.
Students also will get a taste of the academic rigors
and social aspects of college life during a multiweek residential
program each summer. Participants will stay in residence halls, learn how
to navigate the sometimes overwhelming college application process, and
receive math, science, literature, and SAT preparation.
“The goal is to create a web of support around
each student that they might not otherwise have and to change the way they
think about their education,” says Beth Olivares, assistant dean for
diversity issues and director of the Kearns Center who wrote the successful
grant proposals. “Participants will learn about the college and
financial aid application process early on, and will be assisted through
those processes in a detailed manner from start to finish.”
Students accepted into either program would ideally
begin their participation in the 9th grade. Successful completion of the
programs requires students to stay involved through their senior year in
high school. Admission is based on recommendations from educators,
interviews with students and their parents or guardians, and a strong
desire to attend college.
Both programs are expected to begin accepting
applications before the end of the calendar year and notifying students of
admission by January. Coursework will begin shortly after, and the
residential program will be up and running by summer.
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