Milton Hershey School and Susquehanna University Create Partnership to Support Low-Income, First-Generation College Students
On August 16, 2018, Milton Hershey School signed its 15th memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Susquehanna University. Through the formal partnership, the schools will collaborate to improve the national college graduation outcome for low-income students, which is only 14 percent according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
MHS students who attend Susquehanna University will receive the tools and resources to navigate their educational experience as first-generation college students through individualized, multilayered support.
“For many of our low-income, first-generation college students, a comprehensive support system is vital to their success in college and beyond,” MHS Vice President of Graduate Programs for Success Tanya Baynham said. “Through our partnership with Susquehanna University, we can closely guide our students, help them break the cycle of poverty, and celebrate with them as they successfully graduate from college.”
Through focused and sustained support, MHS students will benefit from academic coaching, student engagement resources, and retention support to ensure their success throughout their entire college experience.
“One of our most important aspirations is to make a Susquehanna education attainable for all deserving students and to provide those students access to the most enriching opportunities we can,” said University President Jonathan D. Green. “Our partnership with Milton Hershey School is a tangible demonstration of our commitment to providing a transformative, world-class education to meritorious students from across the socio-economic spectrum.”
Milton Hershey School’s Graduate Programs for Success (GPS) Division has partnered with 15 postsecondary institutions across the state of Pennsylvania. In addition to the individualized guidance offered at each institution, MHS career and higher education specialists provide comprehensive support throughout the entire duration of college. In 2017, they organized a total of 123 on-campus postsecondary visits and sent 13,856 text messages with important deadline reminders, resources and words of encouragement.
The partnership with Susquehanna University is part of Milton Hershey School’s ongoing commitment to strengthen its graduates’ postsecondary experiences and improve the national college graduation outcome for low-income students.