Rising Star Scholarship
Institution:
Dallas County Community College District
Academic Level:
Associate
Issue Area:
Access
Issue Area:
Transfer
Year:
2008
Designation:
Examples of Excelencia
Designation:
Honorable Mention
Key Personnel:
Shaw, Ella
Address:
Dallas County Community College District Foundation, Inc.
Address 2:
701 Elm Street, Suite 700
City:
Dallas
State:
TX
Zip:
75215 Website:
Rising Star is a program that offers financial assistance and access to a free college education in the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) to eligible high school seniors in Dallas County. The program provides a scholarship of up to $4,000 for tuition and books for a maximum of three years to Dallas County public high school seniors who 1) graduate with a "B" average or pass the required college assessment test and 2) show economic need. The program provides tutoring, mentoring, and opportunities for students to socialize and share experiences in the Rising Star clubs on campus.
Goal/Mission:
The Rising Star program gives students the tools they need to become successful citizens of Dallas County. Scholarship recipients may choose to earn an Associate's Degree, become certified in one of more than 100 different occupational training and/or professional certification programs, earn the necessary credits to transfer to a four-year institution and/or receive fast-track job training.
Outcome:
Rising Star just completed its first 6-year cycle of evaluation. Enrollment has grown from 693 students in the first class to over 2,800 students in the last year. Over the first 6 years of the program, 20 percent of Rising Star students completed their Associate Degree and 7 percent completed a certification program. Both percentages are ahead of state averages in their respective categories. In addition, approximately 27 percent of Rising Star students transferred to universities. Given the percentage of Latino students enrolled in the program, and the program's graduation, certification and transfer percentages, it is clear that many Latino students are making progress in completing higher education courses as a result of participating in the Rising Star program.
Notes:
This program was also honored in 2007 as an Example of Excelencia Honorable Mention.
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