Donor Scholarships
The Project Forward Leap (PFL) scholarship partners program was established to ensure students who have completed seven years of PFL programming have better access to college. The full PFL program gives high school students the confidence, drive and academic qualifications to graduate high school ready to complete the appropriate and rigorous classes that allow them to succeed at institutions of higher learning.
PFL students do not typically have the financial capacity to attend the schools of their choice. The PFL scholarship partners program network was established to allow students access to a wide range of full and partial scholarship opportunities. PFL will not fund these scholarships directly but will match students with scholarships being offered through our partnership sources.
Beginning in fall 2010, the scholars
hip partners program will expose every enrolled PFL high school student to a range of scholarships that fill the gap between the cost to attend college and the family contribution.
It is crucial that these qualified and motivated PFL students attend and complete college. 60% of the currently available jobs in Pennsylvania require a college degree and currently only 43% of the population have one. A high school graduate earns less than half that of a college graduate: $871,000 versus $2 million.
How can I help?
In the next 3-5 years PFL will expand the program to ensure that 90% of our high school graduates are provided full or partial scholarships to attend a four-year college program. Project Forward Leap is actively seeking scholarship partnerships with individuals, corporations and educational institutions to help these highly motivated, academically and socially prepared students realize their college goals. This is an opportunity for many secondary education institutions to have access to a pool of high achieving college-ready students with a demographic profile that can help them realize their admissions targets.
In order to reach this ambitious goal of ensuring that every PFL student who starts in 6th grade is supported through to college matriculation we are seeking assistance with:
- Contacting your alma mater for possible scholarship opportunities
- Providing leads to scholarship opportunities from your network of friends, colleagues and business contacts
- Corporate internships and sponsorships for a college scholarship
- Access to higher education institutions looking for high-achieving, college-ready students
How are students selected?
PFL high school students are expected to be academic achievers, positive leaders among their peers, and demonstrate continuous personal growth. Each student is automatically enrolled as long as they meet the following requirements.
- Earn a B or higher average in school each marking period.
- Currently in the 11th or 12th grade.
- Participate and are in good standing in the PFL High School Program.
- Attend the PFL Refresher Program or a PFL approved substitute program.
- Keep PFL records updated voluntarily and as requested. This includes current address, school, extracurricular activities, awards, etc.
How are PFL graduates prepared for post secondary education?
Students are prepared using the following 3 step process:
- Pre College Meeting - During the Fall of the 11th grade students meet with their regional director. At this meeting the regional director helps the student review their academic strengths and weaknesses and examine their scholastic progress. In conjunction with other staff members the regional director provides the student and their parents with the academic, extracurricular and college guidance in the form of a practical and personal career plan.
- Advanced Academics Enrollment – Students are enrolled in a variety of rigorous academic programs which include Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate Courses and Dual Enrollment programs.
- Continuing Support – Each student will receive any academic and resource support needed to remain eligible for scholarships through PFL referrals or direct services as well as intense college preparation assistance.
What institutions have PFL graduates been accepted to and attended in the past?
| Albright College | Franklin & Marshall College | Spelman College |
| Arizona State University | Indiana University of PA | Shippensburg University |
| Benedict College | La Salle University | Temple University |
| Bloomsburg University | Lincoln University | University of the Arts |
| Bucknell University | Messiah College | University of Pennsylvania |
| Cheney University | Millersville University | University of Houston |
| Delaware State University | Moore College of Art and Design | |
| Drexel University | Moorehouse College | Ursinus College |
| Duquense University | Norfolk State University | Villanova University |
| Eastern University | Penn State University | West Chester University | Elizabethtown College | Rosemont College | York College of Pennsylvania |
| Rutgers University | University of Pittsburgh |
How is the PFL Scholarship Partnership Program unique?
What differentiates PFL Scholarship Partnership Program from other scholarship programs is that PFL (1) sets up a goal oriented timeline with the student that will fully prepare the student to apply and complete college; (2) introduces students to scholarships based on several factors including: their chosen collegiate area of study, academic performance and other needs based criteria; (3) provides constant support and services to ensure students remain eligible for scholarships and are able to attend and complete college.
