DePaul University
PAE-10: Affordability and Access Programs

The Federal TRiO Programs were established by Congress to help students from low-income and first-generation college families enter college, graduate and move on to participate more fully in America's economic and social life. While student financial aid programs help students overcome financial barriers to higher education, TRiO programs help students overcome class, social and cultural barriers to higher education.

There are two TRiO programs at DePaul:

1) Student Support Services (SSS) provides advising, academic assistance, mentoring and career-related services to eligible first-generation and low-income undergraduates at DePaul to improve retention and degree attainment.

2) McNair Scholars Program prepares carefully selected undergraduate students who are first-generation and low-income, or who are members of underrepresented groups, for doctoral study and entrance to academic careers. The program provides opportunities for undergraduate research, faculty mentoring and study abroad, as well as intensive advising and assistance with the graduate school admission process.

DePaul University's Center for Access and Attainment's mission is to serve as a focal point for dialogue, strategy and action concerning college access and attainment, consistent with DePaul's vision to exceed national norms in recruiting, retaining and graduating a diverse student body, with an emphasis on first-generation and low-income students in the Chicago area.
The Center achieves this by:
Providing research centered on issues of access and attainment that stimulates campus, community and international discourse cultivating institutional and community partnerships to foster high school to university transition delivering pre-college programs for underserved college-bound students administering the university's federal TRiO programs (Student Support Service and McNair Scholars Program) for low-income and first-generation students.

The Center for Access and Attainment provides resources about access and attainment issues in higher education on its website: http://www.depaul.edu/emm/caa/accessHE/index.asp

The resources provided cover the following topics:
Affordability
College Access Networks and Organizations
International Access Issues
Public Policy and Research

The Center for Access and Attainment serves as a resource and partner with Chicago area Catholic schools, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and other educational organizations that prepare students for higher education. The Center is currently managing partnerships with college preparatory organizations that draw students from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The Center for Access and Attainment served more than 4,500 students and parents, and nearly 500 school counselors and administrators at more than 50 on- and off-campus events during the 2009-10 academic year.

Below are programs and partnerships with Chicago high schools:

A.) Chicago's Catholic schools educate a large proportion of students of color from low-income families and remain an important source of diverse students who are highly motivated and college-ready. Catholic School Initiatives provides a coordinated and strategic outreach effort for DePaul's many relationships with Chicago's Catholic high schools.

1) Office of Catholic Schools provides direct service to school communities in furthering the mission of Catholic schools and achieving the goals of the strategic management process for Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools. DePaul partners with OCS by hosting Catholic high school students in the College Connect program, providing professional development for counselors and hosting an annual symposium to help schools strategically plan market and mission strategies to support enrollment.

2) Big Shoulders Fund provides support to Catholic schools in the neediest areas of Chicago. One hundred percent of the funds raised are used to support students through scholarships, special education programs, instructional equipment, much needed school facility improvements, faculty support, and operating grants. DePaul partners with Big Shoulders schools by hosting student events and professional development programs for teachers and administrators.

3) Cristo Rey Network is a national association of high schools that provides quality Catholic college preparatory education in communities with limited educational options. Schools utilize a longer school day and year, and require students to participate in work-study to help meet the cost of their education. DePaul is a founding university partner with Cristo Rey. Through this partnership, DePaul has supported Cristo Rey through activities such as providing high school achievement data for students enrolled in Cristo Rey schools, hosting student events and professional development programs for teachers and administrators and providing office space for the Cristo Rey Network's national office.

B.) The Center for Access and Attainment is currently managing partnerships with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and college preparatory organizations that draw students from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

4.) CPS AVID Program provides a curriculum-based initiative to place ‘average’ students in more challenging courses while providing added academic support. AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) programs have been established at 40 Chicago neighborhood high schools during the past 3 years. DePaul hosts many AVID programming events.

5.)GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) was established by the U.S. Department of Education to increase the number of low-income students prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

6.) CPS International Baccalaureate programs provide rigorous college preparation curriculum implemented in 14 neighborhood high schools. DePaul has partnered with IB coordinators and teachers from these high schools to develop student programs and academic enrichment opportunities. The majority of IB students in Chicago are students of color and/or from low-income families.

7.) CPS Male Initiative Project is a mentoring program for African-American and Latino males established in 2006 by counselors and teachers in 30 CPS high schools. DePaul is the project’s main institutional higher education partner. The university has hosted the project's annual student development retreat for 200 African-American and Latino high school males from participating CPS high schools, provided a student intern for the project, and hosted project leaders for a student leadership and planning workshop.

8.) CPS Office of College and Career Preparation (OCCP) is committed to successfully transitioning more of CPS high school students into postsecondary education and employment. OCCP coordinates academic programming, such as AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) and CTE (Career & Technical Education), as well as school-based staff with a focus on college and career preparation, such as secondary counselors, college and career coaches and specialists.

C.) DePaul's Center for Access and Attainment's Community Outreach cultivates community partnerships to foster high school to university transition for students from diverse cultural and socioeconomic groups within the neighborhoods of Chicago.

Below is a list of programs:

9.) INROADS Pre-Collegiate Program is an international career preparation and internship program serving students of color in business and engineering.
Program highlights:
INROADS Pre-Collegiate Program was established to identify interested and capable high school and university students who would pursue careers business, accounting, actuarial science, engineering, computer and information sciences, sales, marketing, allied health, healthcare management and retail store management.

10.) INROADS Pre-Collegiate Program provides internships, career development and admission preparation support.

At DePaul, INROADS Pre-Collegiate Program participants attend student and professional development workshops; produce a group project that helps participants develop business communication skills, and visit INROADS company worksites.

How to get involved:
Visit www.inroads.org

11.) LINK Unlimited is a college preparation and enrichment program serving low-income, African-American youth.
Program highlights:
LINK Unlimited provides academic enrichment and college readiness programs to help ensure high school graduation and enrollment in a four-year college or university.

Through LINK Unlimited, high school freshmen are matched with a sponsor/mentor. Sponsors contribute toward the cost of private secondary education and agree to be a motivator and advisor to a student as they grow and develop throughout their four years of high school.

How to get involved:
Visit http://www.linkunlimited.org/

12.) Target H.O.P.E. (Healing, Opportunity, Pride & Empowerment) provides college preparation for Chicago-area, African-American high school students in grades 10 through 12.
Program highlights:
Participants meet at DePaul University on Saturdays to take enrichment classes in math, English and communication and African American studies.

The program provides students with graduate workshops, leadership retreats and college tours.

One hundred percent of Target H.O.P.E. students enroll in college and 98% graduate.

Target H.O.P.E. boasts a 100% graduation rate of its students who enroll at DePaul.

How to get involved:
Contact Target H.O.P.E. by calling 773-913-5864 or writing P.O. Box 720, Matteson, IL 60443.

13.) Pilsen Neighbors Community Council is an organization founded and geared toward helping the many different families of the Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago.
Program highlights:
The Council's mission is to establish policies and practices in the Greater Pilsen Area that bring about justice and equity and empower church, school and social service community to invest in the development of community leaders and pastors through training and action.

The Council offers scholarships for students, ACT preparation courses, tutoring in various academic subjects, mentorship programs and writing workshops for students applying for college and/or employment.

DePaul partnered with the Council in October 2007 during the Pilsen Education Summit, providing the community with information about access to higher education.

How to get involved:
Visit http://www.pilsenneighbors.org/

DePaul actively seeks to assist low-income students through scholarships, government grants, and federal aid monetary assistance. Listed below are several scholarships that assist diverse students and students with high need.

DePaul Scholars' Award
Award Amount: $10,000 to $11,500
The DePaul Scholars' Award is given to students who have strong academic credentials and have performed above average compared to others in our applicant pool. For renewal, the student must maintain a 2.7 grade point average.

St. Vincent de Paul Scholarship
Award Amount: $3,000 - $7,000
The St. Vincent de Paul Scholarship is awarded to students who have performed well in high school and have qualified based on a review of their academic credentials. For renewal, the student must maintain a 2.5 grade point average.

Arthur J. Schmitt Scholarship
Award Amount: Varies
A few select Presidential Scholarship recipients with high academic achievement who demonstrate financial need may be chosen as Arthur J. Schmitt scholars. To be considered, Presidential Scholarship recipients are required to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after January 1st and no later than February 1st. These scholarships offer additional educational funding and are awarded in mid-April.
Service/Leadership Scholarships

Select freshmen admitted for the fall term are invited to apply upon admission if they have an exceptional record of community service or leadership. Application instructions will be included in your acceptance packet. You must select one scholarship, complete the separate application and mail it by the postmark deadline of February 1, 2011. If you're a finalist, you'll be invited to an on-campus interview in March.
Service and leadership scholarships are renewable for a total of 12 consecutive quarters of undergraduate study. Recipients must be enrolled full time each quarter, maintain a 2.7 grade point average and earn a minimum of 36 quarter hours annually, excluding summer sessions. Additional requirements are listed under each scholarship.

DePaul Community Service Scholarship
Award Amount: $8,500
The DePaul Community Service Scholarship rewards students who have demonstrated an exceptional record of community service, and are committed to engaging in the community while at DePaul. Recipients are required to declare the community service studies minor, which provides a framework for viewing community service from the perspectives of theory, ethics and group dynamics.
In addition, recipients must complete 30 hours of community service each quarter, attend workshops related to service learning and meet with the program coordinator for advising. Students are also asked to develop an electronic portfolio highlighting their service learning experiences. To be considered, students must demonstrate an exceptional record of community service with priority going to those exhibiting consistency in their commitments, as well as a depth of understanding of their service as it relates to larger social issues.

DePaul Leadership Scholarship
Award Amount: $8,500
The DePaul Leadership Scholarship Program is designed to prepare students to act as socially responsible leaders who are dedicated to the Vincentian values such as compassion, promoting human dignity and a commitment to the common good. Recipients of this scholarship will engage in leadership development experiences, community service, meaningful reflection and interfaith dialogues. Scholars will maintain supportive relationships with each other and with mentors in the Student Leadership Institute and University Ministry. Candidates must have demonstrated leadership, service and a commitment to promoting positive change with a high school, neighborhood, or a political or religious community.

Monsignor Egan Hope Scholarship
Award Amount: $15,500
The Egan Hope Scholarship Program was initiated in 1992 to honor Monsignor John Egan on the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. The program was developed in response to a need for initiatives that would enable inner-city students from Chicago neighborhoods to earn college degrees.
The student must prove residency within the City of Chicago, graduate from a City of Chicago high school and demonstrate need as determined by the FAFSA*. Recipients are required to commit to social activism, serve as a community leader, fulfill community service projects and participate in events determined by supervisors in the Office of Multicultural Student Success, including sessions with staff for advising, mentoring and assessment.

Talent Scholarships
A talent scholarship is available for freshman admitted for the fall term and intend to enroll in one of the academic programs listed below that offer talent scholarships. An audition, interview or portfolio is required. Specific details on the application process are listed under each scholarship.
Talent scholarships are renewable for a total of 12 consecutive quarters of undergraduate study. Recipients must be enrolled full time each quarter in the corresponding major, maintain good academic standing and earn a minimum of 36 quarter hours annually, excluding summer sessions. Additional requirements are listed under each scholarship.

Internal Scholarships
Internal Scholarships are offered on a limited basis by college offices, academic departments and the Office of Financial Aid. Current DePaul students are encouraged to contact the college department in which they are enrolled to inquire about scholarship opportunities related to their field of study.

Need-based Scholarships
Need-based Scholarships (awarded based on need as determined by the FAFSA) also are available to current DePaul students. The financial aid office strongly encourages you to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online at fafsa.ed.gov if you are interested in need-based scholarships. Completing a FAFSA is not a requirement for all scholarships, but it is an instrumental tool used to help select scholarship recipients.

Please refer to the programs listed in the section 'A brief description of the institution’s programs to prepare students from low-income backgrounds for higher education.'

DePaul has a variety of programs to support low-income students and ensure their success at the university, such as, but not limited to the following:

• Men of Color Initiative (http://www.studentaffairs.depaul.edu/omss/moc.html):
The Men of Color (MOC) Initiative seeks to support first-generation and/or low-income, male students of color in their academic endeavors at DePaul University.

The MOC Initiative strives to do the following:
Support and challenge men of color to achieve academic;
Encourage and support men of color in engaging in the
DePaul Student Experience;
Promote involvement and inclusion in leadership
activities;
Promote intergenerational mentoring; and
Promote community service and engagement.

The MOC Initiative is divided into four separate components designed to best serve students depending on where they are in their DePaul Experience.
The MOC Recruitment phase;
The MOC 1st-year Program for Academic Retention and Transition (1st-PART);
The MOC Upperclassman Experience; and
The MOC Beyond DePaul Component

•Women Empowered Program (http://www.studentaffairs.depaul.edu/omss/we.html)

The Women Empowered (WE) program, a year-long program designed to support, retain, and develop undergraduate women of color, offers monthly workshops to develop life skills and explore the experiences and perspectives of women of color. Additionally, participants attend quarterly off-campus outings, or "Anthropological Excursions," with an emphasis on activism, social gatherings, and cultural exploration.

The WE program also focuses on leadership development and has partnered with the Student Leadership Institute (SLI) to assist participants in developing skills useful in their career and beyond.

While women can join the program beginning the Spring of their freshman year, there are also opportunities for first-year women of color to connect through the WE Buddy program and many open workshops and events.

•Office of Multicultural Student Success (http://www.studentaffairs.depaul.edu/omss/aboutomss.html)

The Office of Multicultural Student Success seeks to cultivate student success for students of color, low-income college students, or first generation college students through sustained developmental programming, financial resources, and advocacy.

The vision for the OMSS is that all students of color and first generation college students will graduate from DePaul as socially responsible leaders, prepared for career success or graduate school matriculation. In addition, as a result of our urban educational outreach programs, increased numbers of Chicago-area high school students will successfully participate in higher education.

OMSS will create opportunities for students of color, low-income college students, and first generation college students to build life skills that enhance their career, personal, and academic success.

OMSS will empower students to explore their own culture, backgrounds, and social location to enhance student success.

OMSS will provide scholarships that facilitate the retention, persistence, and graduation of low-income DePaul students. In addition, OMSS will provide scholarships to recognize students that demonstrate academic excellence and a commitment to service.

OMSS will fulfill DePaul’s urban mission through engaging students from Chicago-area secondary schools to promote college preparedness, awareness, and access.

OMSS will create an environment where students have a sense of belonging and connectedness.

OMSS will provide students with the information and tools required to navigate the university system.

OMSS will utilize culturally-sensitive measurement tools and accountability standards when assessing student learning and student success

OMSS will serve as an institutional resource related to the success of marginalized student populations and diversity data.

• Center for Intercultural Programs (http://www.studentaffairs.depaul.edu/cip/aboutus.html)

The Center for Intercultural Programs promotes artistic expression and intellectual inquiry that challenges students to explore all aspects of their culture.

The Center develops programs and services that empower students to learn about the multitude of ways that their intersecting identities shape their understanding of their world and to confront systems of oppression and to promote social justice by celebrating and affirming the dignity of every member of our university.

The Center also supports and cultivates the leaders of ethnic and cultural student organizations to understand their important role in building a student-centered multicultural community at DePaul.

• Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Allies (LGBTQA) Student Services (http://studentaffairs.depaul.edu/lgbtqa/index.html)

The LGBTQA office exists to promote, foster, and support a campus environment that is inclusive and supportive of student diversity, specifically as this relates to sexual orientation/ attraction/identity and gender expression/identity. We accomplish this by providing a range of services, programs, and events that reflect the needs and interests of LGBTQA students at DePaul. A belief in the resilience of LGBTQA individuals underscores all our efforts. That is, instead of focusing exclusively on the struggles and challenges faced by LGBTQA individuals, we give equal attention and effort to learning about and supporting their unique and shared successes.

• The Women’s Center (http://condor.depaul.edu/womenctr/)

The Women's Center was established in May 1995 through the efforts of many female staff, students and faculty members. The Women's Center interprets and accomplishes the Catholic, Vincentian and urban mission of DePaul by bringing about an awareness of women's issues. As a service center, it provides education, programming, advocacy and referrals for members of the DePaul community and the community-at-large. The Center proactively works toward an open and diverse environment which recognizes that gender, race, class, nationality, ethnicity and sexual orientation, among other factors, shape issues that must be addressed before such an environment can exist. In these and other ways, the Women's Center is a catalyst for positive social change where women can bring their needs and concerns, discuss their interests, and network with their peers.

• Office of Students with Disabilities (http://studentaffairs.depaul.edu/studentswithdisabilities/)

The mission of the Office of Students with Disabilities (OSD) is to provide accommodations and support to students with disabilities that will enable them to fully participate in programs and services that are available at DePaul University.

In addition, the Office of Students with Disabilities encourages students with disabilities to independently manage their lives inside the university as well as in the community outside the University.

The Office of Students with Disabilities works with various departments within the university to ensure that no qualified student(s) with disabilities are denied the benefit of, excluded from participation in, or otherwise subjected to discrimination because of the absence of educational auxiliary aids.

• Office of Veterans Affairs (http://studentaffairs.depaul.edu/va/Program_features/index.htm)

Military veterans now have a dedicated resource to help them transition into DePaul University—the new Office of Veterans Affairs in Student Affairs.

Our office serves as a liaison between veterans, university departments and the many public and private agencies that provide services and resources that veterans may need. For example, we can assist veterans in connecting with:

Pre-college preparatory programs
Educational and disability benefits
Counseling services
Family services
Academic support
Vet-friendly consultation
Returning military veterans have been an important part of DePaul’s student body since World War II. A traditionally underserved population, veterans thrive at DePaul because of the university’s expertise with transfer and adult students. The Office of Veterans Affairs, part of Student Affairs, was created to centralize and expand our outreach to the growing number of veterans returning from Iraq, Afghanistan and other postings around the globe.

• Adult Student Affairs (http://studentaffairs.depaul.edu/adultstudentservices/about_us/index.aspx)

Adult Student Affairs assists adult students in their transition to college and supports them in achieving their educational goals. By collaborating with key university and external partners, it provides services, resources and programs that address the specific needs of this student population. The office also works to create an environment that encourages and nurtures adult student engagement in campus life.

• School for New Learning: DePaul Adult Bridge Program (http://snl.depaul.edu/About/Centers/Bridge_Program.asp)

The Bridge program is designed for adults age 24 and older who, because of demands on their time and financial resources, find it difficult to pursue a traditional path to a degree. By facilitating transition rather than transfer, the Bridge program assists students in developing their learning styles and finding ways of coping with fears and concerns in preparing for their long-term learning goals.

Team-taught courses are the driving force of the Bridge program. Students from the different institutions come together, supported by the commitment of Bridge faculty to multi-cultural diversity, social justice and student access to higher learning.