Every year, the nation’s largest scholarship provider, Scholarship America, hosts the Dreams to Success Partner Summit and Award Dinner in Washington, D.C. Scholarship providers from all over the country gather in the Capital City to network with and gain insight from industry leaders.
In 2019, three best-in-class scholarship providers received honors for their commitment to students. Southeast Michigan’s leading private nonprofit scholarship program, Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars (DRDFS), was awarded alongside two national organizations; the Coca-Cola Foundation and the Chick-fil-A Remarkable Futures Scholarship. One of over 400 chapters nationwide, DRDFS is the only Dollars for Scholars chapter to ever receive this honor from parent organization, Scholarship America.
At Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars, we are honored to receive this award after three decades of dedication to helping students prepare for life after high school. We hope the best practices we presented at the Partner Summit will influence programs across the country, and in turn, allow more students’ dreams to become a reality. — Christa Funk, Executive Director
Christa Funk, along with Next Level Scholars Program Director, Jill Marecki, took the stage at the Dreams to Success partner Summit and delivered an impactful presentation to a note-taking crowd of scholarship leaders. Funk and Marecki discussed the award-winning academic support program, Next level Scholars, which sets DRDFS apart from other Dollars for Scholars organizations across the nation.
DRDFS Alumni, Nina U., who graduated high school in 2015 and went on to attend Washtenaw Community College, attended the Partner Summit as well. Nina participated in an Alumni Panel Discussion alongside several Scholarship America Alumni from across the nation. She shared with the audience and her fellow alumni her unique experience with DRDFS and how it impacted her path to post-secondary education.
Nina’s story helped to highlight the success that students are experiencing after graduating from the Next Level Scholars program. College Access professionals from all over the country were able to to learn more about why the program model is effective and achieves results. DRDFS will continue to provide tailored programming for students in the Next Level Scholars program and support for members of the alumni network to ensure post-secondary success.
Click here to see Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars honored in Scholarship America’s 2019 Annual Report.
“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.