Media Advisory: Event Tomorrow at Connecticut State Capitol! 
NEBHE Will Present Excellence Award to Hartford Promise

For more information, contact John O. Harney at 617-533-9501 or  

June 17, 2019
The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) will honor Hartford Promise with a 2019 New England Higher Education Excellence Award on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Connecticut State Capitol, Room 310.
 
Hartford Promise is a college scholarship fund and college success program that provides Hartford students with the financial resources, support services and
key relationships that lead to college success.

To become a Promise Scholar, students must reside in Hartford and attend a Hartford
Public High School for all four years of high school, have a 93% or better cumulative
attendance record and have a 3.0 cumulative GPA or better on a 4.0 scale during high
school. Students that meet these criteria earn the Scholarship. No application process,
no fine print.

The Hartford Promise Scholarship provides students with up to $20,000 toward college.
Hartford Scholars attending any full-time accredited four-year college or university will receive up to $5,000 per year, and students attending any full-time accredited two-year college will receive up to $2,500 per year.

The program's first three classes of Scholars will receive $3,500,000 in Scholarships. Among Hartford Scholars, 80% are low-income, 70% are the first in their families to attend college and 90% are students of color. Research shows that financial support is not enough to guarantee college success. Students need guidance and support to succeed.

More than a scholarship, Hartford Promise is an Integrated College Success
Model, including "Reaching Back" into high schools and "Reaching Forward" to work with the colleges.

"We connect Scholars to advisors, mentors and peer-to-peer support networks and are here for students if they need our help," said Development Coordinator Leslie Silvers.

"We 'Reach Back' into the Hartford Public Schools. The earlier one can influence
students and families to think about and plan for college, the more likely students will
graduate from high school, go to and be successful in college," said Silvers.

"Then we 'Reach Forward' into the colleges our Scholars attend to make sure that they are known and provided with the transitional support and services proven to increase college success," she added.
 
In three years, Hartford Promise has supported 397 Promise Scholars. In 2016, 14% of graduating Hartford seniors became Promise Scholars. In 2018, that has risen to almost 17%. Nearly nine in 10 Scholars from the first two classes persisted successfully in their first year of college, compared with 60% nationally for similar student populations.
 
"The goals of Hartford Promise are nothing short of transforming the lives of Hartford students and transforming the city of Hartford." said NEBHE President and CEO Michael K. Thomas. "It's an ambition to be replicated across New England."

Still, for Hartford students, the cost to attend college is the most important factor in their decision-making. It can be the difference between going to college or not, or allowing students to increase expectations and choose the right college.

The three classes of Promise Scholars are attending more than 60 colleges and
universities throughout the country, including Bates, Bowdoin, CCSU, ECSU, Franklin
& Marshall, Howard University, Olin College of Engineering, Trinity College, Tufts,
UConn, University of Hartford, University of Pennsylvania, USJ, Washington
University in St. Louis, Wellesley, Wesleyan, WPI, Yale and many other schools
throughout New England and the country.

The Promise to Hartford's students relies on financial support of donors, including Travelers Foundation, Hartford Hospital, Newman's Own Foundation, Hampshire Foundation, Gawlicki Family Foundation, Patricelli Family Foundation, The Hartford, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, Harvard Pilgrim, KeyBank, Stanley Black & Decker, and many other corporations, foundations and individuals.

Learn more about Hartford Promise on our website, http://www.hartfordpromise.org/ our youtube channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWvUPIMHIgpuEnDTWdVFWHg, or contact Richard Sugarman at (860) 956-5310 or rsugarman@hartfordpromise.org.
About NEBHE

Founded in 1955 by six visionary New England governors, NEBHE brings together leaders of education, higher education, government, business and labor to forge partnerships and advance ideas that enhance the economy and quality of life in the six-state region and around the world. NEBHE works to increase the education opportunities for New England residents and to promote collaboration among the region's colleges and universities to expand access, success, affordability and the economic impact of higher education.
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