ALUMNI SUPPORT Program

It’s a staggering statistic…

According to the Pell Institute, 26% of low-income, first-generation college students leave higher education after their first year. Only 34% earn a bachelor’s degree after six years.

Two of the goals of UrbanPromise Charlotte’s StreetLeader Program are for our high school leaders to graduate on time and earn college acceptance. As of 2021, we’re proud to have 112 StreetLeader graduates, 84% of whom are the first in their families to go to college!

This is worth celebrating, but if we quit supporting students once they enter college, then we feel that we have stopped short. UrbanPromise Charlotte desires to take a “20-Year Journey” with out students from Kindergarten until they secure post-grad employment — the college years are a crucial part of that endeavor!

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We know (anecdotally, and from statistics) that first-generation college students face a host of unique struggles as they begin this phase of their journeys. As our Alumni base has expanded, the need has grown more pressing for us to offer this incredible group of students a formal framework of support as they navigate their college years.

We are excited to introduce UrbanPromise Charlotte’s Alumni Support Program!

How does the alumni support program work?

UrbanPromise’s Alumni Support Program is an extension of our StreetLeader Promise Coaching Program — it leverages the mentoring relationship that StreetLeaders developed with their Promise Coaches during high school to help them succeed in college.

With the support of our Alumni Director, Promise Coaches touch base with their first-year StreetLeader Alumni monthly, and they complete formal check-in tasks across four categories (academic, social, financial, and emotional) during six strategic “zones” throughout the year. These check-ins are designed to identify areas of struggle before they get too overwhelming and provide opportunities for encouragement and troubleshooting.

The goals of UrbanPromise’s Alumni Support Program include:

  • Academic & Financial Support: 100% of Alumni who start at a two-year college but desire to transfer to a four-year college do so within three years

  • Academic & Financial Support: 100% of Alumni maintain a 2.5 GPA

  • Academic & Financial Support: 100% of Alumni have a declared major by end of their sophomore year

  • Academic & Financial Support: 90% of Alumni have less than $5,500 in student loan debt

  • Socio-Emotional & Faith Support: 100% of Alumni desiring counseling are enrolled in counseling (through UP’s counseling partner, at their college, or privately)

  • Socio-Emotional & Faith Support: 100% of Alumni who desire to involved in a faith community are connected to one

  • Career, Networking, & Leadership Support: 80% of Alumni participate in an internship by the summer before their senior year

  • Career, Networking, & Leadership Support: 100% of graduated Alumni obtain a first meaningful job

With this extra support, we are committed to helping our StreetLeader Alumni avoid the common pitfalls that first-generation college students so often encounter. It is our goal to empower them to make a healthy transition through their first year of college, graduate, and obtain a meaningful first job!

Interested in mentoring one of our StreetLeaders during high school and beyond? Learn more about our Promise Coaching program below!