Dear College Partners!
We’re here to share an exciting opportunity for you, your campus and your students, which could lead to an opportunity to hear from the First Lady at your 2015 spring commencement ceremony!
This summer the First Lady Launched her Reach Higher initiative geared to inspire every student in America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university. In today’s economy, a high school diploma just isn’t enough. Students have to “reach higher,” which is why the First Lady is working to rally the country around the President's “North Star” goal — that by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.
As a part of its effort, last week the First Lady’s, Reach Higher Initiative Launched its “Near-Peer Mentoring College Challenge” directed at college communities and institutes of higher education, urging them to increase and enhance near-peer mentoring and college immersion experiences on campus for high school students.
As the First Lady says in her video:
“Last January, I spoke with college presidents from across the country about the importance of reaching out to more of our young people, especially those from underserved communities. These students have so much potential, but they don’t always get the encouragement and support they need to go to college. Today, I want to take that discussion to the next level. That’s why I’m calling on people all across college communities – from student groups to admissions officers to college presidents – to take new steps to open up your campus…”
Near-Peer Mentoring College Challenge:
Research has shown that students connecting with other students, or “near-peers,” can make a significant difference in motivating them to make higher education a reality.
This “Near-Peer Mentoring College Challenge” encourages students on your campus to design and implement “near-peer” college immersion opportunities for their fellow students from nearby high schools using these core elements:
- College students invite high school peers to join them on campus for a minimum of one day, to experience “life on campus” including:
- Staying in dorms as guests of college peer hosts, attending classes with them, joining them for meals in campus dining facilities, and participating in other official on-campus events with them;
- Connecting them with those influential to a successful college experience including, key administrators, student support personnel, financial aid, and admissions staff, and ensure they receive a tour of the campus.
Institutions that choose to participate will create and submit a 3-5 minute video, which captures their efforts to make attending and completing college a reality for all students. Video submissions will be accepted from January 1, 2015 through February 27, 2015.
- For institutions already facilitating successful “near peer” activities we’re interested in learning more about the strategies that work!
- For those not currently facilitating “near peer” activities, we challenge you to use the structures in place on your campus to better enable your students to provide these types of college access opportunities for their fellow high school peers.
To learn more and submit an entry, visit the “Near-Peer Mentoring College Challenge” webpage.
We hope you’ll accept this Reach Higher challenge and join us in this effort to help make higher education a reality for every student!
--The Office of Postsecondary Education
#ReachHigher
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