For recent St. Louis high school graduates, the Delmar Loop is a summer hotspot. With popular eateries and trendy clothing stores lining the streets, it is an instant draw for young people in the city.
And that’s exactly why St. Louis Graduates, a collaborative network of college access provider organizations, opened their High School to College Center in the Delmar Loop at 618 N. Skinker Blvd. five years ago.
“That’s where they want to be, so that’s where we want to be,” said Allison Williams, co-chair and senior vice president of programs at Wyman.
The High School to College Center, which is open on Tuesday and Thursdays, is in business for the kids and is ready to meet them where they are. With college counselors and a scholarship staff on site every day, it is fully equipped to handle any questions students may have.
In St. Louis, 41.3 percent of adults overall have an associate’s degree or higher, while only 26 percent of African-American adults in St. Louis do. Alan Byrd, dean of enrollment services and co-chair of St. Louis Graduates, said this can largely be attributed to “summer melt.”
“Summer melt is a national phenomenon where almost 40 percent of low-income, minority students who have been admitted to college will not be enrolled come August,” Byrd said. “This is a direct result of unequal access to resources.”
Getting admitted into school is just the first step for students. Laura Winter, project director of St. Louis Graduates, said that there are almost 100 different things students must have completed in order to be ready to begin classes in the fall.
“Students need to fill out FAFSA, find scholarships, housing, collect immunization records, and much more,” Winter said. “It can be extremely confusing and challenging. We’re here to make that process as easy as possible.”
Students who visit are asked to fill out a brief survey online Bridgeit2College (powered by College Bound), then meet directly with a counselor.
With so much to be done, the center is encouraging the community to hold themselves “accountable in eliminating racial and economic disparities in postsecondary degree completion.” The organization is supported and made up of dozens of community partners, from universities and St. Louis Public Schools to corporations and foundations.
“It takes a village, and we are a community solution,” Winter said.
Supporting students in their quest for a college degree is good for the community, she said. Not only is college essential to a student’s future, but it is also essential to the future of the region. The region needs them to succeed.
“This issue is morally and economically imperative,” Winter said. “A degree results in a higher income. It also creates people who are more civically engaged and adds to the work force. Students deserve the opportunity to be educated.”
The center has served 800-plus students since opening in 2012. Their goal is to help 60 percent of adults acquire an associates or bachelor’s degree by 2025. They are certainly on their way, and their alumni who come back to pay it forward is a great example of their impact.
Aja McCoy, summer melt intern and student at Xavier University of New Orleans, is a testament to this.
“The High School to College Center helped me obtain my transcript and figure out my financial aid and loans,” McCoy said. “I hope I can help students bridge the gap and get from point A to B in their pursuit of college.”
The High School to College Center, 618 N. Skinker Blvd., is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.stlouisgraduates.org/HStoCollegeCenter, email info@stlouisgraduates.org
or call (314) 932-6956.
