Title:Georgetown Scholars Program celebrates its 20th anniversary

For 20 years, the Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP) has provided holistic wraparound support for thousands of first generation, low-income college students to help them flourish on the Hilltop and beyond. The program, guided by the Jesuit tradition of cura personalis, has served over 2,600 students by offering resources curated to meet their needs, including financial support for urgent needs, career opportunities, and community building events—all of which empower students and cultivate their sense of belonging. GSP boasts a 94% graduation rate for first-generation students, compared to 26% among those students nationwide.

“GSP’s success is as a community-driven effort that positions students to show up as fully themselves—with their unique voices and resourceful perspectives—in the classroom, in their dorms, and in their internships,” says Melissa “Missy” Foy, GSP executive director. “And the most dynamic impact the program has is the way those 2,000+ graduates are changing the world in small and big ways.”

Founded in 2004 by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and the Office of Student Financial Services with generous support from alumni, GSP’s initial mission focused on reducing students’ financial burdens. GSP expanded its program with the assistance of Amy Hang (C’09), a student in GSP’s first cohort and the program’s first paid student employee. For Hang and the inaugural GSP class, a combination of services was needed to ensure they could thrive on the Hilltop.

“Two decades later I’m amazed at how GSP has grown while maintaining the strong sense of community and unwavering commitment to student wellness,” says Max Rerucha (SFS’09), a member of GSP’s first cohort and founding member of GSP’s Student Board. “The GSP staff, supporters, and student leaders from the first GSP Class of 2009 fostered the original GSP community and recognized its tremendous potential for growth.”

In 2010, GSP introduced the Necessity Fund, which supplies microgrants covering students’ unexpected, out-of-pocket emergency expenses. Professional development microgrants have also helped upper-level students engage in pre-professional opportunities by covering costs of submitting grad school applications and traveling to interviews.

To provide more comprehensive preparation for first-year students transitioning to college life, GSP launched its 12-week Mastering the Hidden Curriculum course in Fall 2018, which demystifies the unwritten rules of higher education that are critical to students’ academic and career success.

GSP heads into its third decade bolstered by the philanthropic support of an active community of alumni and friends, whose contributions ensure that the program can continue to create an equitable college experience for Georgetown students. GSP’s future goals include serving more students, launching a course on navigating life after college for seniors, more funding for scholarships, and the expansion of GSP’s sister program, the Community Scholars Program.