In 2020, social gatherings transitioned into virtual gatherings, and the Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars (DRDFS) Alumni Network stuck together through this change. Growing larger with each graduating class, the students of the Alumni Network turn to each other for support and a sense of community. They have embraced virtual events including trivia, a holiday party, mental health and wellness discussions, and other planned activities.
Alumni Trivia Night
Trivia nights offer alumni a great opportunity for competition and for learning something new in the process. Students attending post-secondary institutions throughout the State of Michigan, and even out of state, were excited to log in and play a few rounds of trivia with friends and familiar faces. The alumni network, made up of students from all different backgrounds and majors, has a wealth of information on all different topics, making for an interesting and fun game.
Alumni Holiday Party
In December, DRDFS hosted the annual Alumni Holiday Party! Our first-ever virtual holiday gathering included a round of festive trivia, a gingerbread house decorating competition, and a special presentation focusing on mental health and wellness.
Alumni spent the beginning of the evening sharing with one another where they are in their post-secondary journeys. Students from college freshmen all the way up to college graduates joined the virtual party. Each attendee received a special package in the mail containing everything they would need to enjoy the virtual gathering, including a build-your-own gingerbread house kit.
The annual gingerbread house competition commenced as usual, and alumni were excited to share their creations. The houses were judged, and the winning entry was the House of Karebears (pictured left).
As a change of pace, this year’s holiday party included a mental health and wellness conversation, led by a professional Wellness Coordinator from Eastern Michigan University. Alumni were able to learn and ask questions about mental wellness, managing stress while in college, healthy eating habits, fitness, and more. The post-secondary experience completely transformed in 2020, and as a result, students had to change the way they learn and study. With so many changes to their routines, the wellness conversation helped provide clarity and solutions to the stressors that many have been experiencing.
Remaining engaged in virtual events helps our Alumni to stay in touch with one another. Moreover, it reinforces the importance of this vast network of support available to them as they work towards completing a post-secondary degree. We look forward to hosting more creative, fun, and educational virtual gatherings for our Alumni throughout 2021 and beyond.
“I grew up without a clue of what I wanted to do, or where I wanted to go in life, until I had the opportunity to join Dollars for Scholars my sophomore year of high school. From visiting campuses, to SAT prep, the guidance I received from the program changed my entire outlook.
“From college tours to financial aid, Dollars for Scholars has greatly impacted my path to higher education. As a first generation college student, deciding where I would want to continue my education and figuring out how I would get there was a difficult process. My family and I lacked the time and transportation necessary to visit schools, and this limited me in figuring out my future.
“When joining Dollars for Scholars, I was eager to visit colleges and earn scholarship money. Being able to look at all the different schools with other students I could relate to was so reassuring. Dollars for Scholars was able to answer my questions about the ins & outs of post-secondary education, as well assist me with applications. This extra help was so motivating.
“Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars is a life-changing program. Before high school, I was going down a path that if most kids took, they’d end up either dropping out of school or going to jail. Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars helped inspire me to get on a better path by showing me how to prepare for college. Hearing other students’ stories made me feel like I could be successful both in high school and post-secondary education.