For years, Merrimack College has actually delighted in a deep and worthwhile collaboration with Lawrence, Massachusetts, a city of more than 89,000 about 5 miles north of the College.
At the center of that collaboration is the Pioneers Scholars Program, through which Merrimack College supplies complete scholarships to high attaining and extremely inspired high school trainees at Abbott Lawrence Academy, a sped up honors high school within the Lawrence High School school.
The program was substantiated of a collaboration in between the 2 organizations going back to 2017. That year, Merrimack started providing early college courses to high school juniors and senior citizens.
” Our application procedure is more established like the college procedure where we take a look at the entire kid through a series of information points,” stated Stacey Ciprich, ALA’s starting principal. “Yes, we do have an examination, however trainees compose in essays, brief response concerns, (and hand in) suggestions from instructors and individuals that understand them finest in their intermediate school experience.
The Early College Program at first provided 2 initial level courses, however gradually it broadened its offerings to consist of classes in psychology, engineering, computer technology, mathematics, company, education and more.
The Baker-Polito Administration the Early College Program provided it a state classification acknowledging Merrimack College and Lawrence Public Schools’ efforts to prepare disadvantaged high school trainees for college academics at no charge to their households, while making credit towards college graduation.
To date, almost 350 Abbott Lawrence Academy trainees have actually registered in Merrimack’s early college program. The typical trainee throughout the 2021-22 academic year held a 3.4 GPA and made 15 college credits.
” It sounds cliché however it alters lives,” stated Ciprich, “When I got here (at Lawrence High School), prior to Abbot existed, we would have about 150 to 200 senior citizens. I would be fortunate if we had 3 kids a year even use to Merrimack, and perhaps one would participate in. Now we have, usually, 50 senior citizens (going to) out of 70, 80 or 90 using, which’s simply from Abbot not to mention the school.”
Leader Scholars was developed in 2019 in order to continue the success seen in the Early College Program. 10 top-performing trainees who finished the program are picked to get a complete scholarship to Merrimack College, which covers complete tuition, space, board, extensive charges and a book stipend.
Trainees in the program likewise have access to a network of consultants that concentrate on intellectual, individual, and expert development. Deborah Margolis, dean of the Winston School of Education and Social Policy where the Leader Scholars runs out of, stated the program continues Merrimack’s custom of advancing Augustininan worths by concentrating on structure and serving a neighborhood and promoting social justice.
” It’s a wrap-around design,” Margolis continued. “There requires to be a great deal of resources readily available to the trainees. It’s beyond simply course encouraging– it has to do with browsing college and browsing life.”
Meredith Fitzsimmons just recently took control of as the interim chief consultant for the Leader Scholars. As assistant dean of trainee encouraging and services, she supervises the program in addition to Russell Olwell, associate dean of the Winston School.
” Among the huge pieces that we wish to ensure that they constantly understand they have is if they’re facing something where they have a concern, they have an issue or they simply do not understand what to do, they can constantly pertain to us and we will assist them discover a response,” Fitzsimmons stated. “Whatever it is they want to share.”
Over the previous 4 years, the Leader Scholars program discovered donors going to sponsor extra scholarships for trainees at Lynn English High School, St. Mary’s High School in Lynn and Cathedral High School in Los Angeles. In overall, Merrimack has actually invited 46 Leader Scholars.
Yarianna Burgos, among the most recent Leader Scholars, stated she’s thrilled to participate in Merrimack College in the fall. The early college courses she took with biology teacher Michael Piatelli ignited her interest in pursuing a biochemistry degree.
” Originating from an immigrant (household) and living in Lawrence, there’s few chances,” she stated. “The Leader Scholars opened that door that I might go to college and do it totally free. That reduces my fret about what I need to spend for college. I might simply be complimentary to do whatever I desire at Merrimack and not fret about the monetary side of it.”
