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500 Scholars Have Been Awarded More Than $4 Million in Scholarships Through DC-CAP’s University Partnership Program Since 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. [August 4, 2022]The District of Columbia College Access Program (DC-CAP), a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Washington, D.C. students prepare for, enroll in, and graduate from college as the cornerstone of a successful future, today announced more than 200 students will make up its 2022 class of University Partnership Program scholars. Those 200 high school graduates will receive more than $1.1 million in scholarship dollars.

Started in 2019, DC-CAP’s University Partnership Program establishes formal partnerships with select high-performing, four-year institutions committed to increasing enrollment and graduation rates for D.C. students. In total, more than 500 scholars and more than $4 million dollars in scholarships has been awarded through the University Partnership Program.

“The DC-CAP University Partnership Program is instrumental in helping young people from D.C. earn their undergraduate degrees from excellent higher education institutions,” said Tosha Lewis Hughes, interim president and CEO, DC-CAP. “The colleges and universities that are part of the Program demonstrate high completion rates for minority students and comprehensive support services for low-income and first-generation students. The first class of University Partnership scholars is set to graduate next year, and we are looking forward to celebrating their success.”

University Partnership Program colleges and universities closely collaborate with DC-CAP for the recruitment and selection of a yearly cohort of students; provide year-round high-intensity retention support services and tracking; and award substantial financial aid packages to ensure that D.C. students can persist and earn their degrees.

University Partnership Program institutions include Alabama A&M University, The Catholic University of America, Delaware State University, Eastern Connecticut State University, Florida A&M University, George Mason University, Kent State University, Marshall University, North Carolina A&T State University, Ohio University, SUNY Oswego, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and West Chester University.

“We’re thrilled for this new class of University Partnership scholars,” said Ted Leonsis, chairman of the DC-CAP board of directors since 2015. “Funneling more D.C. high school students, federal financial aid, and monies to the University Partnership colleges and universities helps increase graduation rates and maximize the impact of our scholarships and the colleges and universities’ investments in D.C. students.”

A graduate of Georgetown University, Leonsis was the first person in his family to go to college after graduating from Lowell High School in Lowell, Massachusetts. He was instrumental in the University of Massachusetts Lowell becoming the first institution to join the DC-CAP University Partnership Program. Since then, 55 University Partnership scholars have enrolled at University of Massachusetts Lowell, including nine graduating seniors from the high school class of 2022.

Eligible DC public and public charter high school students from the high school class of 2023 are encouraged to apply today for DC-CAP Scholarships such as the University Partner program. Visit https://dccap.org.

About DC-CAP
DC-College Access Program (DC-CAP) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping D.C. students prepare for, enroll in, and graduate from college as the cornerstone of a successful future. Since 1999, DC-CAP has worked with parents and educational partners, inspiring, counseling and providing fundamental support to help low-income D.C. students believe that college is possible, find the path to get there and complete their education. DC-CAP has helped more than 35,000 students enroll in college, supports more than 1,500 currently in college through scholarships, has awarded nearly $55 million in scholarships, and has celebrated the success of more than 14,000 college graduates who otherwise never would have had the opportunity for higher education. For more information, visit https://dccap.org.

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About DC-CAP

DC College Access Program (DC-CAP) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping DC students enroll in and graduate from college.