Organization: THE FREDERICK B ABRAMSON MEMORIAL
Mission: THE ABRAMSON SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT MOTIVATED DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL AND CHARTER GRADUATES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND COLLEGE AND THE TOOLS TO SUCCEED ONCE THEY GET THERE. OUR PROGRAM EMPLOYS A TWO-FOLD APPROACH TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION. FIRST, WE PROVIDE CRITICAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO STUDENTS WHO MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND COLLEGE WITHOUT OUR HELP. SECOND, AND EQUALLY IMPORTANT, WE PROVIDE THESE STUDENTS WITH PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE THROUGH INDIVIDUAL MENTORS AND PROGRAMS IN ORDER TO FOSTER THEIR ACADEMIC SUCCESS, EMOTIONAL GROWTH AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THIS APPROACH ENABLES THE FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOLARS THROUGH ALL FOUR YEARS OF COLLEGE AND BEYOND.
Activities: THE MENTORING PROGRAM: IN ADDITION TO RECEIVING FINANCIAL SUPPORT, EVERY ABRAMSON SCHOLAR IS PAIRED WITH A MENTOR. MOST ABRAMSON SCHOLARS COME FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS AND ARE THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILIES TO ATTEND COLLEGE. ADVICE FROM CARING, ENGAGED PROFESSIONALS IN THE COMMUNITY WILL MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES. ASFS MANY:1 MENTORING MODEL SURROUNDS ABRAMSON SCHOLARS WITH AS MUCH SUPPORT AS POSSIBLE TO HELP THEM OVERCOME OBSTACLES AND ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. MENTORS PROVIDE ACADEMIC, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EMOTIONAL GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT. SINCE STUDENTS NEEDS ARE BROAD AND UNIQUE, SCHOLARS AND MENTORS CAN ALSO DRAW ON THE ABRAMSON NETWORK OF ADVISORS WHO LEND THEIR SPECIFIC SKILLS, EXPERTISE AND/OR EXPERIENCE. FOR EXAMPLE, ADVISORS HELP PROOFREAD ACADEMIC PAPERS, PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS WHO CAN HELP SCHOLARS FIND SUMMER INTERNSHIPS OR JOBS IN THEIR FIELDS OF STUDY, AND DISCUSS SHARED EXPERIENCES (E.G. WHAT COLLEGE IS LIKE FOR A FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT). AS PART OF OUR MENTORING PROGRAM, STUDENTS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS WHICH HELP THEM PREPARE FOR INTERNSHIPS AND THE WORKFORCE ONCE THEY GRADUATE.
THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM: SINCE 1991, THE ABRAMSON SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION HAS AWARDED OVER $1.5 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO OVER 300 UNDERPRIVILEGED COLLEGE-BOUND D.C. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. IN ORDER TO QUALIFY, EACH APPLICANT MUST MEET THREE CRITERIA: FINANCIAL NEED, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND A DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY SERVICE. EACH YEAR, ABRAMSON SCHOLARS CAN APPLY FOR SUBSEQUENT SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING PROVIDED THEY MAINTAIN A GOOD ACADEMIC RECORD AND ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE MENTORING PROGRAM. AWARD AMOUNTS INCREASE EACH YEAR BECAUSE THE FOUNDATION HAS LEARNED THROUGH EXPERIENCE THAT OTHER SOURCES OF FINANCIAL AID TEND TO DIMINISH AND DISAPPEAR. ASF CURRENTLY SUPPORTS 35 SCHOLARS AT DIFFERENT STAGES IN THEIR COLLEGE JOURNEY. SEVENTY PERCENT OF OUR SCHOLARS COME FROM A SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLD AND ARE FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS. THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR OUR STUDENTS IS $43,000 A YEAR.
NTEE category: Education
Secondary category: Youth Development