Thrive Academies program will advance Thrive
Scholars' mission to broaden the corporate talent pipeline and
enhance economic mobility for low-income, first-gen college-goers
nationwide
LOS
ANGELES, June 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Thrive
Scholars, a national nonprofit that helps high-achieving, first-gen
students prepare for and graduate from top colleges to support
their success in careers that lead to economic mobility, today
announced that its signature program has expanded to New York and Los
Angeles. The launch of Thrive Academy – New York
Sponsored by Citadel at Mercy University, Manhattan Campus, and
BMO Thrive Academy – Los
Angeles at the University of
Southern California (USC) marks
the first major step in the nonprofit's plan to establish 10
regional Thrive Academies nationwide over the next four years.
The launch of Thrive Academies stems from the success of
Summer Academy, Thrive Scholars' flagship six-week program that
provides rising high school seniors and rising college first-year
students with more than 350 hours of college-level academic
preparation in calculus, coding, and writing, in addition to
college admissions counseling and career development
programming.
Now, thanks to the support of Citadel, Citadel Securities, and
BMO, 5,000 more high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds
will have the opportunity to experience transformative higher
education opportunities and impactful careers.
"The funding we've received from our strategic plan investors
will make an immediate impact and kickstart our first two regional
Thrive Academies," said Tyra
Montina, President and Chief Operating Officer of Thrive
Scholars. "Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we have already
raised more than $25 million of our
$60 million fundraising goal. This
milestone advances our plan to launch 10 regional Thrive Academies
over the next four years, giving 5,000 more academically talented
first-gen students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds the
opportunity to experience transformative higher education
opportunities and impactful careers."
Partner Contributions and Impact
Citadel and Citadel Securities have contributed $7.5 million to support the launch of Thrive
Academy – New York Sponsored by Citadel, reflecting their
steadfast commitment to empowering Thrive Scholars. This commitment
builds on a years-long relationship between the financial firms and
Thrive Scholars, which to date has included an annual sponsorship
of 120 Thrive Scholars, annual lead sponsorships of Chicago Summer
Academy 2, and the opportunity to participate in an externship to
enhance the technical skills of the Scholars.
BMO Thrive Academy—Los Angeles is made possible by BMO,
whose significant $3 million donation
underscores their commitment to eliminating barriers to access
higher education and to creating progress in underserved
communities across Los Angeles.
BMO will also collaborate closely with Thrive Scholars to develop
the Career Pathways curriculum, crafting customized programs,
company-specific training, and tailored student exercises.
The new Thrive Academy – New York Sponsored by Citadel
and BMO Thrive Academy – Los
Angeles will each host an inaugural cohort of over 150
students for six intensive weeks of academics. This cohort boasts
an impressive 3.9 average GPA and comprises 83% first-generation
college-goers. They come from an average annual family income of
$51,000.
The Impact of Thrive Academies
Thrive Scholars has been supporting high-achieving,
economically under-resourced students since 2002. Initially,
despite a 90% college graduation rate among Scholars, many were not
securing competitive internships, gaining admission to top graduate
schools, or graduating with degrees necessary for desired careers.
These students, often from under-resourced high schools, lacked
adequate preparation for the rigorous coursework at top colleges,
particularly in math and writing, leading to lower college GPAs and
high dropout rates from STEM majors.
In response, Thrive Scholars revamped its program in 2012 to
include Summer Academy, providing intensive academic preparation
and holistic support. This shift was enormously effective: Summer
Academy participants not only achieved higher grades but were also
33% more likely to persist in STEM and 10% more likely to graduate
compared to their peers. These results underscore the importance of
Thrive Academies in bridging educational gaps and fostering
academic and career success.
"Being given an opportunity to attend Thrive Academy has to be
the greatest thing that has happened to me since high school," said
Wilson Zheng, a high school senior
and Thrive Academy – New York Scholar. "The 2-year college program
is truly amazing and to think I got accepted means a lot. Not only
do I get to prepare and thrive in college, I also get to learn a
lot of new things, socialize, and find a passion. With that said,
this summer means a lot. I am looking forward to making connections
and friends during this summer experience and I hope to succeed and
thrive along with all the other Scholars."
The curriculum for Thrive Academies will retain the core
academic elements of college-level calculus, writing, and critical
thinking from Thrive's Summer Academy and introduce new components
of non-academic programming with the help of outside partner
organizations to provide holistic college preparation.
Transforming Opportunity and Addressing Inequities
The launch of Thrive Academies supports Thrive Scholars' vision
for transforming opportunities for students from under-resourced
backgrounds by addressing systemic barriers that restrict access to
higher education and career success. Thrive Academies are a
critical addition to the suite of impactful programs Thrive
Scholars provides, including its 6-Year Program, which extends
support through college graduation to early career.
Thrive Academies are made possible through the donations from
more than a dozen generous donors, including BMO, The Eli and
Edythe Broad Foundation, Ceres Foundation, Citadel and Citadel
Securities, Datadog, Deloitte Foundation, General Motors, Google,
Howmet Aerospace Foundation, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP,
Takeda, and anonymous donors.
About Thrive Scholars
Thrive Scholars is a national
nonprofit that for 20 years has worked hard to help high-achieving,
first-gen students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds get
into and graduate from top colleges equipped to achieve their full
career potential. Thrive Scholars uses data to develop programming
that translates to Scholar success through a full suite of academic
preparation, mentorship, social-emotional, financial, and career
counseling to close the opportunity gap.
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SOURCE Thrive Scholars