Charles Nailen/The Hoya Participants of GU’s Schiff Scholar Institute of College Preparation sign yearbooks after their commencement ceremony.
Thirty-four high school seniors graduated Saturday from Georgetown’s Schiff Scholar Institute of College Preparation. The ceremony marked the culmination of a six year journey for the second class of Schiff scholars that will see many of the graduates, nearly all of whom will be the first in their families to attend college, matriculating into schools such as University of Pennsylvania, University of Maryland, Drexel University and Georgetown University.
The ceremony, held in the ICC auditorium, included a speech by Schiff Scholar and Georgetown alumnus DeAngelo Rorie (COL ’99) and reflections on the program by both students and parents. A volunteer for the program, Rorie explained the monumental impact the program had on his life and entreated the graduates to not forget the program.
According to Rorie, the program not only prepared him for college but for life. He recognized those involved as a family of role models and mentors, calling them his “extended family.”
Parents of graduates Sheena Bennett-Gordon and Brandon Savoy reiterated the family focus of the Schiff program. They praised curriculum, citing the legitimate concern for each student and his family as a key to success. Sylvia Bennett gave credit to Thomas Bullock, the founding director, and his doctrine that “no child should be left behind.”
Jessica Rucker, a program graduate and incoming Georgetown freshman, said that the program provides social support by teaching each person how to deal with the economic problems minorities face and by bringing together a group of like-minded people.
“Before you can focus on academics, you have to know who you are,” Rucker said.
Founded in 1989, the Schiff Scholar program is run in conjunction with the Center for Minority Educational Affairs. An outgrowth of the “Kids to College” partnership between local colleges and middle schools, the program takes one class of seventh graders every six years and follows them through high-school graduation. These students meet each Saturday in order to participate in activities such as academic classes, community service projects and recreational activities. The program brought the students to Georgetown University last summer to take introductory classes in biology, Spanish and expository writing. The students also participated in a 10-day research project in Ecuador, and studied in Tanzania, Ghana and Switzerland.
Currently funded by Georgetown University and the Howard Hughes edical Institute, the program has requested increased funding from the university in order to produce a class of graduates each year.
Program director Thomas Bullock believes that the funding will come through eventually. “Jack DeGioia has committed to try and endow funds [to support a class every year],” Bullock said. He said the success of the program should help in reaching that goal. Of the first class of Schiff Scholars, 100 percent went to college and 85 percent have graduated.