Introduction
In the past few decades, college attendance among students from underrepresented groups has increased substantially. In fact, in 2016-2017 over half of all freshmen were first-generation students and more than 20 percent were African American. Say’s Dr. William Siefert, despite these gains, however, many of these students continue to face challenges that make it difficult for them to succeed in college, including financial difficulties and limited access to campus resources. Scholarship programs can help support these students by providing financial aid and developing a sense of community on campus. Programs can use data about their recipients’ experiences to tailor their offerings in order to create better outcomes for all participants
In the past few decades, college attendance among students from underrepresented groups has increased substantially.
In the past few decades, college attendance among students from underrepresented groups has increased substantially. In 1970, only 6% of college students were members of underrepresented groups; by 2029 this number had risen to 20%. This increase was mostly due to increased access to college: more people were able to attend because they lived near one or could afford it. But it also reflects an increase in applications from applicants who self-identified as being part of an underrepresented group (URG).
Despite these gains, however, many of these students continue to face challenges that make it difficult for them to succeed in college, including financial difficulties and limited access to campus resources.
The number of students who are the first in their families to attend college has increased over the past decade. According to a report from The American Academy of Arts & Sciences, roughly half of undergraduates at four-year institutions are from families that do not have a history of higher education. These students face unique challenges as they navigate life as first-generation college students, including financial difficulties and limited access to campus resources.
Scholarship programs can help support these students by providing financial aid and developing a sense of community on campus.
Scholarship programs can help support these students by providing financial aid and developing a sense of community on campus.
Financial aid can be used to help students deal with financial difficulties, which are often exacerbated by the burden of student debt. As college tuition costs continue to rise at a faster rate than inflation, many students must take out loans to pay for their education. In 2016-2017, 71% of undergraduate students enrolled in degree-granting institutions had student debt (National Center for Education Statistics). Scholarship programs provide opportunities for those who need it most: low-income students whose families struggle financially or first generation college attendees whose parents may not have attended college themselves. These scholarships allow these individuals access to higher education without putting too much strain on family budgets or forcing them into unnecessary debt during their academic career.
Programs can use data about their recipients’ experiences to tailor their offerings in order to create better outcomes for all participants
Data about participants can help improve the program, which will in turn improve the university’s resources for all students. Data can also be used to improve outcomes for underrepresented groups.
Programs should collect information about their recipients’ experiences and use it to tailor their offerings in order to create better outcomes for all participants.
Conclusion
We hope that this article has provided some insight into the ways in which scholarship programs can support underrepresented groups. By using data from their recipients’ experiences, these programs can tailor their offerings in order to create better outcomes for all participants. We also encourage you to check out our other articles on diversity and inclusion–they contain lots of resources for creating inclusive environments at your school or organization!
