Milton Hershey School and Moravian College Partner to Support Low Income, First-Generation College Students
On Wednesday, Nov. 13, Milton Hershey School officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Moravian College. The formalized partnership outlines the ways Moravian will provide focused and sustained support to low-income, first-generation college students, including many MHS graduates.
Moravian joins a network of 20 other postsecondary institutions in Pennsylvania and Maryland which have partnered with MHS in providing opportunities to low-income children.
“The partnership with Moravian is an example of our collaborative effort to ensure the future success of our graduates,” said MHS Vice President of Graduate Programs for Success (GPS) Tanya Baynham. “When graduates transition from our campus to theirs, we are confident that the resources are in place for continued academic and personal growth.”
As part of the MOU, Milton Hershey School graduates who attend Moravian will be paired with an individual academic advisor who will assist them in goal setting and acclimating to college life. Assistance in securing on-campus work-study employment will also be provided. Counseling, mentoring, and retention support, including enrollment in Moravian’s Momentum program, will be available to keep students on track to graduate.
According to the Pell Institute, 90 percent of low-income, first-generation college students do not graduate on time and many never do. Through this partnership, Milton Hershey School aims to strengthen its graduates’ postsecondary experiences and improve national graduation outcomes for financially disadvantaged students.
“Moravian College is very excited and proud to enter into this agreement with the Milton Hershey School and present a unique, life-changing opportunity for their students,” commented Bryon Grigsby, president of Moravian College. “MHS has a long and storied history of helping kids that dates back more than 100 years, and our entire community can’t wait to get started on this partnership and help their students take the next step and succeed as Moravian College students.”
Milton Hershey School’s Graduate Programs for Success (GPS) Division coordinates postsecondary partnerships and supports graduates entering college, technical programs, the workforce, or the military. MHS career counselors and transition specialists focus on increasing communication and building supportive relationships with graduates through on-site campus visits, weekly check-ins, academic and financial aid advice, and connections to the extensive MHS alumni network and future career opportunities.