Over the past few months, the Obama administration has brought a great deal of attention to higher education. First Lady Michele Obama has joined the conversation with her recent remarks on the “power of education,” which highlighted the fact that high-achieving, low-income students are likely to “undermatch” in their college applications and enrollment. That is, these students are less likely to apply to the highly selective institutions for which they are qualified, and may believe that college—and especially a school like Gettysburg College—is out of reach.
Curry and Jones with Philadelphia Futures alumni
Given this national issue, I’m proud to say that we work diligently here at Gettysburg to recruit and retain students from all backgrounds. Recently, the Philadelphia Inquirer featured the College’s 12-year relationship with Philadelphia Futures, a program that supports the city’s low-income, first-generation-to-college students as they prepare for, apply to, and pursue a post-secondary education. Our relationship with Philadelphia Futures started in 2001 when our Senior Associate Director of Admissions, Darryl Jones, met with the Director of Philadelphia Futures, Joan Mazzotti, to discuss how we might make a Gettysburg College education more accessible to these students. In this partnership, our admissions and intercultural advancement offices collaborate with Philadelphia Futures to help these students visit campus, provide them with the financial aid they need, and give them on-campus assistance as they navigate the academic and social challenges of college. In October, our Philadelphia area alumni, parents, and friends joined Philadelphia Futures staff, board members, and alumni to celebrate this partnership. I left the event feeling both inspired and humbled by the Futures program and the work that so many do in support of these students.
Our partnership with Philadelphia Futures is just one of many ways in which we are working to make a Gettysburg College education available to more students. We dedicate nearly $48 million of our annual budget to financial aid. Our admissions office partners with 14 community-based organizations operating in 12 states (and two in the District of Columbia) to recruit a diverse body of students. We work with the CollegeBound Initiative to host an annual Summer Institute, during which students learn about college admissions and financial aid.
We’ve also gotten engaged directly with primary and secondary schools in ways that we hope will help to make higher education a reality for more students. Our Advancing Science program brings science to life at schools throughout the region, and we host students and teachers from underserved schools on our campus in the summer to learn about the Civil War from our expert historians. Our students regularly volunteer in programs such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and mentor students in local area schools through our Center for Public Service. And each year a number of our graduates go on to serve in organizations such as the National College Advising Corps and Teach for America.
While we are proud of our progress and efforts to date, we also acknowledge that there’s much more work to be done. I appreciate the support that so many of our alumni, parents, and friends have provided and continue to provide to assure that a Gettysburg education is accessible to those who cannot afford it. We will continue to welcome and encourage those students who have the potential to make the most of a Gettysburg education, regardless of their socioeconomic status. For all of our students, this opportunity is invaluable—and we look forward to the impact they will have on their communities and professions as they go on beyond Gettysburg.
