This is an unprecedented time for our country and our city.  We are battling a global pandemic that disproportionately affects our communities of color.  At the same time we are grappling with the centuries-old injustice of racism.  What are we as a city – and we as individuals – doing to dismantle systemic racism?  What are we doing to expand opportunity for everyone, regardless of zipcode?

Many in our community agree that one answer is to invest in our city’s young people. 

At CollegeBound we invest in Baltimore’s students in many ways: 

1. We work in 20 City public high schools to provide college advising to students, many of whom are the first in their families to apply to college. We take students on college bus tours, convene college fairs in the high schools, and help with the complicated financial aid and college application processes.  
2. We award close to $3 million annually in college need-based grants and scholarships to City Schools’ graduates.
3. We stay with our students during college and beyond. Our College Completion Program offers City Schools’ graduates continued financial support and advising during college, adult and peer mentors, on-campus liaisons, and workshops and community service activities across the city during college breaks.The program is now completing its third year, with the oldest cohort of students about to enter their senior year of college.   91% of the rising college seniors are still enrolled in college, on track to graduate next year, and 88% of the students overall in the program are still in college.

At the outset of the pandemic, our team swiftly transitioned to virtual advising, using technology to counsel our high school and college scholars.   When college campuses closed and students lost access to their dorms, dining halls, and part-time jobs, we were able to support students through CollegeBound’s emergency fund.   So far, we have granted 53 emergency funding requests.  Most requests have been for grocery assistance. This summer, working hand-in-hand with City Schools, we are particularly focused staying in close touch with graduating high school seniors to help them navigate the uncertainty of the fall semester.

Thank you for supporting CollegeBound and Baltimore City Schools' students.