Lumina Foundation Awards $518,720 Grant to YMCA of the USA
Funding Will Support Student-Led College Readiness and Retention Program
The YMCA of the USA has received a grant of $518,720 to initiate a YMCA Collegiate Achievers pilot program to improve college success rates for minority, low-income and first-generation college students by cultivating student leadership and strengthening connections among families, colleges and community-based organizations.
The grant was awarded by Lumina Foundation for Education, an Indianapolis- based, private foundation dedicated to expanding access and success in education beyond high school.
Through paid internships and diverse learning communities, 20 college students will lead 10 communities across the United States in an action research process designed to motivate and mobilize people for college and career success.
Building on the successful YMCA Black Achievers and Minority Achievers programs — offered by more than 200 local YMCAs to help youth raise their academic standards, develop a positive sense of self and explore diverse college and career options — the YMCA Collegiate Achievers program will include the following core activity areas:
— Student-led action research to acquire qualitative and quantitative
data about college retention and success;
— Diverse learning communities comprised of college achievers, high
school students, faculty and parents to examine issues and ideas
related to college access, attainment, retention and graduation;
— Seminars and workshops to support student interns’ success; and
— Mentoring by trained Adult Achievers who can provide the specific
career and personal support that low-income, first generation and
minority students need.
“We are very grateful for Lumina Foundation’s support of this most important project,” said Neil Nicoll, President and CEO of the YMCA of the USA. “They know, as we do, that education is an essential ingredient for progress. Higher education, in particular, can be a student’s passport to success. Through the Collegiate Achievers pilot project, college students can become leaders, institutions can build relationships, and communities can come together as they develop innovative solutions to fill persistent gaps in college success.”
To date, the YMCA has engaged more than 59,100 students and well over 25,000 volunteers through its Black and Hispanic Achievers programs, awarding more than $19 million in educational scholarships and $16 million in corporate sponsorships to deserving youth.
ABOUT LUMINA FOUNDATION: Lumina Foundation for Education, an Indianapolis- based, private, independent foundation, strives to help people achieve their potential by expanding access and success in education beyond high school. Through grants for research, innovation, communication and evaluation, as well as policy education and leadership development, Lumina Foundation addresses issues that affect access and educational attainment among all students, particularly underserved student groups, including adult learners. The Foundation bases its mission on the belief that post secondary education remains one of the most beneficial investments that individuals can make in themselves and that society can make in its people. Visit http://www.luminafoundation.org .
ABOUT YMCAs: The nation’s 2,617 YMCAs serve more than 20.2 million people each year, including 9.5 million children, uniting men, women and children of all ages, faiths, backgrounds, abilities and income levels. From urban areas to small towns, YMCAs are a place for people to belong, serving America’s children, families and communities for more than 150 years by “building healthy spirit, mind and body for all.” Visit http://www.ymca.net .
Source: YMCA of the USA
