NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A new partnership will help even more New Haven high school students move onto college. Southern Connecticut State University will be providing scholarships that’ll cover housing expenses for ten New Haven students.
The announcement was made on Wednesday afternoon.
“I’ve always wanted New Haven to be among the top ten sending schools to Southern Connecticut State University,” said New Haven Mayor Toni Harp. “I believe we’ve reached that goal.”
The school is working with New Haven Promise, a scholarship and support program that promotes college education for public school students in the Elm City. Current high school seniors will be the first to be eligible for the scholarships.
“We know our students do not have the finances to do that,” said Dr. Iline Tracey, Director of Instruction for New Haven Public Schools. “Immersing them in campus life is another way of showing them how they can contribute.”
The students will be known as Promise Community Ambassadors, and they’ll be paying it forward.
“They’ll turn around and be role models for other members of their community,” said Joe Bertolino, President of Southern Connecticut State University. “They can say I did this, I was able to attain a college degree. You can do that too.”
Scholarship recipients will mentor high school students in New Haven like Ariel Leak, a junior who’s grateful that this scholarship could one day help him.
“It’s a huge help, especially to me and my family, knowing that I might not have to spend so much money on college and just being able to know that I can go to college with this,” Leak said.
Scholarship recipients will be chosen in May.
