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The launch of the new Rising Scholars program at 91�ֿ� at Ashtabula received a big boost recently with a $100,000 donation from the Ashtabula Foundation as part of the organization’s longstanding mission of bettering Ashtabula County, in part through education.  The donation is the first gift into establishing an endowment that will fund and support Rising Scholars in Ashtabula. 

The program welcomes its first cohort of students this semester.  

The primary focus of the Rising Scholars Program is to support the success of a select group of students who have promising academic ability. Students are supervised and guided through middle school and high school until they enroll in postsecondary education.

“We are extremely grateful for the Ashtabula Foundation’s support of the Rising Scholars program and their continued support of creating educational opportunities for people in our community,” said Dean and Chief Administrative Officer Susan J. Stocker, Ph.D.  “With their generous gift to start an endowed fund, the 91�ֿ� Ashtabula Rising Scholars program can become a model for increasing the number of rural, low-income students who pursue higher education and graduate from college.”

The program combines mentoring with community and corporate assistance, creating a support system that prepares young adults, beginning in seventh grade, for life after high school. The program allows them to maximize their all-important high school years.

 91�ֿ� Ashtabula students who have had similar experiences regarding family life or socioeconomic challenges serve as mentors to guide these promising middle and high school students through difficult personal and academic situations. When student participants commit to and complete the program, their tuition is covered at 91�ֿ� Ashtabula. They will also become the next generation of mentors who “pay back” their community for this generous support.

 “The Ashtabula Foundation mission is the betterment of Ashtabula County residents by improvements in the quality of educational, religious and cultural pursuits. The Ashtabula Foundation’s gift to the Rising Scholars program will add to the fulfillment of our mission,” said John D. Dolan, Ashtabula Foundation president.  “With 91�ֿ� Ashtabula administrating the program, the qualifying Ashtabula Area City Schools students will have an opportunity to receive a college education.  Our trustees look forward to the future success and expansion of the Rising Scholars program to other schools throughout Ashtabula County.”
  
For more information on the Rising Scholars program, visit www.kent.edu/ashtabula/rising-scholars or .