My Future, and Those Who Got Me There
Arcadia University is my home, it’ll always be the University I went to, it’s part of me now. Though, it’s hard to believe now that there was a time before Arcadia. Before my time here, I attended a scholarship program from the summer of 8th grade to now. This scholarship program is for first-generation college-bound students. What’s special about this program is that it targets the Philadelphia Public School District schools and focuses on low-income families. I applied in 8th grade and attended what was called Gateway – not to be confused with Arcadia’s Gateway to Success – where we took summer classes at Temple University and started dabbling in college-level concepts and topics. Once you attended Gateway, you were officially accepted into the scholarship program.
Philadelphia Futures, Futures for short, looks a little different nowadays and is now rebranded as Heights Philadelphia, but I want to tell you what my experience looked like while in the program. During my time, there were two main programs Futures sponsored, Sponsor-A-Scholar and College Connection. I was part of the Sponsor-A-Scholar program, which meant that I received funding and resources from donors. These resources include tutoring, college trips, mentors, college-level classes, and so much more! Since Futures is a nonprofit, none of the students pay for the resources available to them, the donors and sponsors essentially cover the cost of my attendance in the program.
Everyone in the program has different sponsors, but my sponsors, who are awesome by the way, are a couple named Katie and Dries. They funded my entire time at Futures and because of that, I could experience things I never would have thought possible. For example, I never would have been able to attend a college trip to Arcadia University during my freshman year of high school. Also, as a collegian of the program now, I receive a $600 stipend every semester from Futures for textbooks and school-related expenses. This wouldn’t have been possible without Futures or Katie and Dries.
Aside from donors, you also get other kinds of support. You get assigned a coordinator, which basically means you have a second set of eyes on everything. Your coordinator tracks your grades and the clubs you’re a part of, and if you’re struggling in any subject in school, they know about it. They’re also the one who assigns tutoring if you need it, and makes sure you’re doing okay emotionally and mentally. You have a different coordinator every year of the program as a high schooler, but as a collegian, you permanently get assigned one for your entire time at college. My current coordinator is named Romer Acosta, and he makes sure I always have my ducks in a row when it comes to anything academic.
Last but not least on the topic of support, are mentors. My mentors are named Tom and Bob, and I’ve known them since I was 13. They’re a little different from the donors. I only saw Katie and Dries once a year, but Tom and Bob are around a little more frequently than that. I like to think of them as my uncles/grandpas. They’re like fun uncles who joke around, and take you out to eat sometimes. They’re goofy, smart, and knowledgeable about everything. They travel and bring their traveling knowledge back with them. But they’re also a little on the older side (don’t tell them I said that) but in a wise and all-knowing kind of way. Well, more knowing than me at least. They send me care packages filled with snacks or help me out with a math problem if I need it. I can’t imagine my life without them; they mean more to me than they know.
Futures also partners with several colleges throughout Pennsylvania. These partnerships allow three Futures students to receive a scholarship for any of the partnered institutions per year. Coincidentally, Arcadia University is one of the partnered schools and I was able to be one of the three scholars to receive the scholarship. That’s how I’m able to afford Arcadia.
All and all, Futures isn’t just an after-school program, and it’s more than just an extracurricular. Futures is a rigorous and serious non-profit organization that requires dedication, work, and discipline. You’ll get extra homework, you’ll get an extra push, and your mistakes do not go unnoticed. If you struggle, they will catch you but only if you put in the work to be better. Futures will support you, challenge you, and overall, help you get to the top. The person I am today is because of Futures.
Like I said earlier, Philadelphia Futures looks a little different nowadays than it did when I was in high school. They recently had a merger with another scholarship organization called Stepping Stone Scholars and now they’re called Philadelphia Heights. The merger will allow them to fund more students, and allow for a larger quantity of students to get access to these resources. While their program might look a little different, their mission remains the same. I highly recommend checking out their website if you’re a high school student looking for college resources. It’s never too early or too late to get involved, as Philadelphia Heights has many entry points. Philadelphia Heights is also partnered with Elis Trust for Girls, for those interested in gender-based education resources. Check them out, you’ll be amazed at what they can offer!
