Board of Trustees / en Mason partners with Opportunity Scholars to create pathways for student success /news/2024-01/mason-partners-opportunity-scholars-create-pathways-student-success <span>Mason partners with Opportunity Scholars to create pathways for student success</span> <span><span lang="" about="/user/231" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Colleen Rich</span></span> <span>Mon, 01/29/2024 - 11:31</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--70-30"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span class="intro-text">Talent may be equally distributed, but the same can’t always be said for opportunities.</span></p> <figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/2024-01/240123503.jpg" width="450" height="279" alt="opportunity scholars signing" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div> </div> <figcaption>From left, David Burge, Trishana E. Bowden, Stephen Cumbie, Fred Thompson and J. Knox Singleton. Seated, Rose Pascarell and Rachel Schaefer. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding</figcaption></figure><p><span><span><span><span><span>That’s why AV and the like-minded Opportunity Scholars program have teamed up to provide additional pathways to success for students to position them for higher education degrees and critical workforce training.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding on Jan. 23 outlining plans to coordinate efforts and find ways to work together to help more primarily underrepresented students earn meaningful postsecondary credentials in a high-demand economic sector.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>The aim of the collaboration is to encourage long-term success and create economic mobility.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>“We have so many of the same goals and aspirations, so I’m very excited about the partnership and very excited about what we can do collaboratively,” said </span><span><a href="https://provost.gmu.edu/profiles/rpascare">Rose Pascarell</a></span><span>, Mason’s vice president for </span><span><a href="https://ulife.gmu.edu/">University Life</a></span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>Fred Thompson, cofounder of Opportunity Scholars and a member of Mason’s Board of Trustees, said his organization’s mission and that of Mason are perfectly aligned.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>“We’ve got the same vision and the same clientele,” Thompson said. “The only way we can give low-income students, many of whom are from underrepresented groups, the opportunity to succeed is by working together as partners.”</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>Much like some of Mason’s signature programs such as </span><span><a href="https://advancesuccess.gmu.edu/">ADVANCE</a></span><span> or </span><span><a href="https://eip.gmu.edu/about">Early Identification Program</a></span><span> (EIP), Opportunity Scholars provides a low-cost pathway to graduate with dual enrollment classes, exams, postsecondary education and training, textbooks and other expenses associated with education. The nonprofit organization, which was found in 2019, also provides financial and academic support to students who lack the resources to obtain technical certifications and college degrees that lead to high-demand jobs.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>Through the partnership, Mason will provide additional training about Opportunity Scholars to its students and staff, while collaborating with staff from Opportunity Scholars on relevant events and opportunities at Mason that will help increase student success, including admissions, financial aid, student success coaching, and career services among other things.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>Trishana E. Bowden, Mason’s vice president for Advancement and Alumni Relations and the president of the AV Foundation, lauded the partnership’s “dedication to students who will be change agents in their lives and that of their families.”</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>Opportunity Scholars Chief Executive Officer Rachel Schaefer said the partnership is as much as about helping people coming into Mason as it is to make sure that all students are afforded opportunity.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>“It’s about helping kids be their best and be successful,” she said.</span></span></span></span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="76aa2fa2-be0f-4d3d-a760-8750694d3504"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="/admissions-aid"> <h4 class="cta__title">Join the Mason Nation <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"></span> </a> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:text" data-inline-block-uuid="cf179c4d-61d6-458d-806f-ab3264b20db3" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocktext"> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:news_list" data-inline-block-uuid="eb19560e-e953-4fe8-a89b-fbba7d013e53" class="block block-layout-builder block-inline-blocknews-list"> <h2>Related News</h2> <div class="views-element-container"><div class="view view-news view-id-news view-display-id-block_1 js-view-dom-id-f530336308214066d661df3d7e3ba732b35e02e5549254eb92d0b7ffb10a6082"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="news-list-wrapper"> <ul class="news-list"><li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-11/meet-mason-nation-nandini-koka" hreflang="en">Meet the Mason Nation: Nandini Koka</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">November 22, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-11/panelists-dive-details-during-presidential-election-debrief-mason-square" hreflang="en">Panelists Dive Into Details During a ‘Presidential Election Debrief’ at Mason Square</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">November 12, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-10/running-walking-and-thriving-together" hreflang="en">Running, walking, and thriving together</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">October 25, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-09/911-day-service-was-day-reflection-and-community-service-all-ages" hreflang="en">9/11 Day of Service was a day of reflection and community service—for all ages </a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">September 20, 2024</div></div></li> <li class="news-item"><div class="views-field views-field-title"><span class="field-content"><a href="/news/2024-07/clock-volunteering-community-farm-carissa-oneill-good-seed" hreflang="en">Off the Clock: Volunteering at a community farm, Carissa O’Neill is a good seed</a></span></div><div class="views-field views-field-field-publish-date"><div class="field-content">July 19, 2024</div></div></li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:field_content_topics" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasefield-content-topics"> <h2>Topics</h2> <div class="field field--name-field-content-topics field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Topics</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/116" hreflang="en">Campus News</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/366" hreflang="en">University Life</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/18971" hreflang="en">Board of Trustees</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/17356" hreflang="en">Strategic Direction</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Mon, 29 Jan 2024 16:31:24 +0000 Colleen Rich 110436 at