21st Century Scholar Success Initiative Makes Strides

As graduates across St. Joseph County prepare to shift their tassels across their mortarboards, there’s a lot to celebrate. And as students prepare to move from high school graduation and into college, there’s a lot more to celebrate, thanks in no small part to the Foundation’s 21st Century Scholar Success Initiative.

This school year, we’ve helped a record number of students, and we’re on track to see more than 350 high school seniors earn 21st Century scholarships — more than we’ve ever served before.

At the heart of this initiative is the 21st Century Success Fellowship, and this summer, we’ll welcome 15 new fellows — each one a graduate of a local high school now attending Bethel, IUSB, Notre Dame, Holy Cross, or Ivy Tech.

In addition to group building, professional development workshops, and personal growth opportunities, our 21st Century Fellows provide one-on-one assistance to their high school aged “near-peers” who are poised to follow their footsteps right into college.

As the initiative matures, it’s especially exciting to see our Fellows graduate and pursue productive careers. Many graduates have chosen to remain local and are working as teachers, nurses, and business professionals in St. Joseph County. For them — and for the 21st Century Scholar Success Initiative — the best is yet to come.