“There are incredible lifelong and generational benefits to an education at a metropolitan research university like UCF. Through this partnership with Helios, we are opening educational pathways that unleash the potential of these students and empower them to pursue excellence, earn success and boost their upward mobility.”
- UCF President Alexander Cartwright
Initially, UCF DSI is benefitting rising seniors at Jones High School who wish to attend UCF — with Evans and Oak Ridge high schools to be added in years three and four of the program. The initiative offers pre-collegiate programming and support, first-year student mentoring and a summer bridge program where students live on-campus at UCF Downtown.
Coaches from UCF DSI work one-on-one with students to support a seamless transition to college. Summer bridge programs have been shown to increase the first-year retention rate among economically and educationally disadvantaged college students.
A high-quality education and a postsecondary degree should be accessible and achievable for every student. Through focused investments and partnership like that with UCF, we hope to create pathways where more Black students can reach success. - Paul Luna, President and CEO, Helios Education Foundation.
Grant funding secured from Helios Education Foundation will cover tuition, housing, books, and related expenses for UCF DSI participants. In addition to the Downtown Scholars Initiative, the Helios Education Foundation continues its partnership with UCF in support of first-generation college students. In 2017, Helios provided a planning grant to UCF to design an educational network that works collaboratively to improve educational access and success for residents in Parramore. In 2019, Helios provided additional grant funding to continue the work through the Parramore Education and Innovation District initiative.