Ohio State receives $1 million to join Kessler Scholars collaboration

The Ohio State University has joined the Kessler Scholars Collaborative to support first-generation student success and help bridge the gaps between first-generation students with limited incomes and their peers from higher-income backgrounds and homeschooling families. a university degree. The university will receive a five-year, $1 million grant to establish Kessler Scholars in Ohio State.

The program is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Judy and Fred Wilpon Family Foundation.

Ohio State is one of 10 American Talent Initiative members to receive this grant, joining a diverse network of colleges and universities dedicated to supporting first-generation students through direct financial support and community-based services. cohorts.

“The benefits of a college degree – from increased earning potential to a wider range of career options – are well documented, but acquiring one is a challenge, especially if you are the first in your family to do so. do,” said President Kristina M. Johnson. mentioned. “Studies have shown that four times as many first-generation students drop out as those with at least one parent who attended college. Financial pressures, lack of a support system, guilt over leaving family behind, and integration challenges are among the many obstacles faced by those who take this important step. The Kessler Scholars Collaboration helps fill these gaps and provides first-generation students with the support they need to succeed academically and personally. Bringing this program to the state of Ohio will be truly transformative and have a real impact on many lives. »

Through the Kessler Scholars Collaboration, Ohio State will receive onboarding guidance, educational resources, and technical support to implement the Kessler Scholars model on campus. The university and network partner institutions will meet regularly to share resources, evaluate best practices, and participate in collaboration-wide student engagement and networking opportunities.

Ohio State joins the collaboration alongside six current institutions, including ATI members Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Michigan, as well as Queens College, St. Francis College and Syracuse University. Nine other ATI members will join the collaboration, including: Bates College, Brown University, Center College, Saint Mary’s College (Indiana), University of California, Riverside, University of Dayton, University of Pittsburgh, Washington University in St. Louis and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

“As a first-generation college graduate, I believe that the opportunity for academic success is our country’s obligation to our citizens in this global economy,” said Associate Vice Provost for Student Academic Success, David Graham. “Aligning Ohio State’s current first-generation student support efforts with the Kessler Scholars Collaborative enables Ohio State to share evidence-based practices, innovate new ideas, disclose challenges and to continue to advance first-generation student success at The Ohio State University and beyond. ”

Founded in 2008 at the University of Michigan, the Kessler Scholars Program connects first-generation students with on-campus resources and opportunities, including one-on-one support and cohort-based workshops and programs designed to foster academic, professional and personal growth. The graduating cohort of Kessler Scholars achieved a four-year graduation rate of 83%, eight percentage points higher than their first-generation peers and nearly on par with their continuing-generation peers (84%).

Over the five-year grant period, from July 2022 through June 2027, the State of Ohio will dedicate at least 40% of the total grant, or $400,000, to direct student aid. Under the proven Kessler Scholars model, participating students will receive personalized guidance and support from Kessler Scholars staff and peer mentors; cohort activities throughout their college experience to reinforce a sense of belonging; and programs designed to elevate the unique strengths of first-generation students, with a focus on achieving their academic and career goals. The first cohort of 20 Kessler Scholars will arrive on campus in the fall of 2023.