We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with Portland State University (PSU). As a Collaborate Partner, PSU will dramatically increase their investment in support of College Possible students.
This increased partnership means that starting this fall, PSU will have two College Possible coaches on campus in the College Advising Center, Monday-Thursday. Students will be able to stop by any time they need, and coaches will be available. There will also be an increased effort to build community amongst College Possible students at PSU — which we know is proven to increase retention. We’ll do that through the building of cohorts so that students can get to know one-another and have familiar faces on campus, and we’ll host a transition-to-college summer event for incoming first-year PSU students. When students feel part of the community at school, and supported by and accountable to that school community, they are more likely to stay enrolled and persist through to graduation. College Possible PSU students will also be offered workshops and social gatherings throughout the year to further connections.
The partnership also allows us to offer scholarship support of up to $100,000 to College Possible students who enroll at PSU, have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program status and significant financial need. This is an incredible support for a group of students who often aren’t eligible for scholarships and are unable to receive federal financial aid because of their citizenship status.
New this year, we’ll be offering quarterly events to bring together staff, coaches and students to build community and to learn something new about PSU.
This increased partnership with Portland State University is a clear signal that they care about student success. PSU is investing time, real estate, dollars and effort into supporting College Possible students all the way through to degree completion. We are so grateful for this partnership and are excited to see so many of our students benefit from these increased services.” –Cari Allyn Brooks, assistant director of college success
Historically, there has been a lot of emphasis on getting students to college, but then support falls off. College Possible Oregon has always been focused on college access and success — meaning we stay with students until they earn their degrees. This partnership with PSU brings additional focus to the support students need during their years in college and has helped us build stronger relationships with the academic advising team at PSU. Together, we’re able to provide better assistance for our students.
Last month, the College Possible Oregon team spent time on PSU’s campus as part of our Welcome Weeks training. These are three weeks when our leadership team and AmeriCorps members come together for intensive training and community building. After these three weeks, direct student support begins, so a lot of information is taught during Welcome Weeks in order to adequately prepare coaches for the academic year. Being able to be on a college campus for part of this training helps to send the message to our near-peer coaches about just how important our work is.
We are always looking to grow our school partnerships. Please reach out to Cari at CBrooks2@CollegePossible.org if you’d like to learn more.
