Blog post written by DRDFS Communications Manager, Brooklynn Lambert
When people think about educational nonprofits, they often think about scholarships. A check awarded. A tuition bill reduced. A financial gap closed. At Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars, scholarships are only part of the story. The true investment, and the true impact, lies in the Next Level Scholars Program.
The Next Level Scholars Program begins in a student’s sophomore year of high school and continues through post-secondary degree attainment. It is not a one-time award or a single year of support. It is a long-term commitment to guidance, accountability, exposure, and opportunity at every critical milestone.
Over the years, DRDFS has served more than 1,500 scholars through this program. Today, students across Southeast Michigan are actively engaged in experiences that prepare them not only to enroll in college, but to persist and graduate.
For many of them, college is uncharted territory. 75% of scholars will be the first in their families to attend a post-secondary institution. For these students, the path to higher education is not simply competitive, it is unfamiliar. Applications, financial aid forms, campus visits, networking events, and long-term planning can feel overwhelming without someone walking alongside them.
The Next Level Scholars Program exists to be that guide.
In the early years of the program, students participate in workshops and campus visits that transform college from an abstract idea into a tangible goal. They sit in admissions presentations, ask current college students questions, learn how financial aid works, and begin to see themselves in spaces that once felt out of reach.
As they enter their senior year and the months that follow graduation, support intensifies. One-on-one coaching becomes a cornerstone of the experience. Students receive individualized guidance through applications, FAFSA completion, scholarship searches, and decision-making. They are encouraged to advocate for themselves, to ask questions, and to step confidently into new environments. The results are meaningful because the support is meaningful.
Every DRDFS scholar graduates high school on time, and nearly nine out of ten enroll in post-secondary education within one year of graduation. Even more telling, the vast majority persist from their first year of college into their second, a milestone where many students nationwide quietly fall away.
These outcomes are not the result of chance. They are the product of sustained relationships, early preparation, and consistent encouragement.
And the support does not stop once a student steps onto a college campus. Scholars continue receiving check-ins, coaching, and intervention when challenges arise. When unexpected obstacles could derail progress, DRDFS remains present. The message is clear: you are not navigating this alone.
Over time, students who once needed guidance become graduates, and often return as mentors, volunteers, and leaders within the organization. This is the ripple effect of a program built not only on access, but on persistence.
When you support Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars, you are investing in far more than tuition assistance. You are investing in a structured pathway that guides students from uncertainty to confidence, from application to enrollment, from enrollment to graduation.
You are investing in:
- Multi-year college access programming
- One-on-one coaching during pivotal transitions
- Campus experiences that expand vision
- Financial literacy and academic preparation
- Ongoing support that keeps students on track
Access alone is not enough. Students succeed when they are prepared, supported, and surrounded by people who believe in their potential long before they believe it themselves.
That is where your dollars go.
They go toward workshops that spark possibility. They go toward conversations that build confidence. They go toward guidance that prevents a setback from becoming a stopping point. They go toward a program that walks beside students, not just to college acceptance, but to degree completion.
And in doing so, they help strengthen families, communities, and the future of Southeast Michigan.
“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.