www.ccp.edu
Contact: Linda Wallace
215-751-8082, liswallace@ccp.edu
Annette John-Hall
215-751-8021, anhall@ccp.edu
One volunteer invests in the city, and now the city's College invests in him
COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA HOSTS FORWARD TOGETHER, A GALA TO BENEFIT STUDENT SCHOLARS
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. Nov. 14, 2016 -Kenrick Singh, a student at Community College of Philadelphia, works to better his city, even though he doesn't have a paying job. Last year, as a high school senior, he would take a total of four buses back and forth from his home in Northeast Philadelphia several times a week as a volunteer at Albert Einstein Medical Center - a journey that took four hours.
Through winter cold, snow and darkness, several times a week, including Saturdays, he volunteered, accompanied by his mother, Bibi Ramjeet, who was concerned about the long days her son put in, but felt strongly that community service would expose him to careers and prepare him for work. While Singh performed his duties as a patient escort - wheeling patients to their destinations - Ramjeet would patiently bide her time in the waiting room. Hospital officials praised Singh as being indispensable.
These are the poignant stories that we don't often hear about in Philadelphia: high school students making sacrifices that better the city. After high school, Singh had a detailed plan for a professional career, but his family's financial resources limited his options. After enrolling at Community College of Philadelphia, the family was informed that he qualified for the 50th Anniversary Scholars Program, which provides Pell Grant-eligible, college-ready students graduating from a Philadelphia public or private high school the opportunity to pursue an associate's degree at no cost for tuition and fees.
The Community College of Philadelphia Foundation is raising money to connect high school graduates to scholarship opportunities. A fundraiser, Forward Together: Celebrating the City's College, will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6 at the Cescaphe Ballroom, 923 N. 2nd Street. Individual tickets are $250, with net proceeds benefitting the 50th Anniversary Scholars program, and the College. To RSVP and purchase tickets, visit www.ccp.edu/forwardtogether.
When mother and son first learned this summer Singh could now afford college, there was relief and joy. I thank God for it, said Ramjeet of the scholarship. As her health issues have made it difficult for her to work, she and Kendrick currently live with family members. As a single mother, this is a load off my shoulders. It means so much to Kenrick in helping him achieve his goals.
Community College of Philadelphia was among the first in the country to introduce a program for helping students with their college costs, said Greg Murphy, vice president for Institutional Advancement. Last year, we awarded 50th Anniversary scholarships to some 200 Philadelphia high school graduates, and had over 300 more starting classes in September, Murphy said. We need to make this opportunity available to as many Philadelphia high school graduates as possible.
Dr. Donald Guy Generals, president of the College, believes programs such as the 50th Anniversary Scholars are rooted in the mission of why community colleges exist. We cannot afford to not offer this program, he said. A moral imperative lies at the heart of our reasoning: Too many students are unable to afford the full cost of a college education. College records indicate that thousands of students walk away from the college each year because of their inability to meet the financial gap remaining after financial aid is applied.
Singh, a computer science major, plans to transfer to Temple and seek employment in the area, as do more than 90 percent of the College's graduates, strengthening the city's economy and workforce. He says scholarship opportunities such as the 50th Anniversary Scholars Program enable students to continue their course of study, make a living wage and continue to serve community.
It's a struggle to pay for just about anything, but the scholarship is helping me pay for my tuition, he said. It's allowing me to focus on my schoolwork and move forward. I'm taking advantage of it because I want to be successful in life.
Ramjeet can now clearly envision her son's future. I told him, I want to see you walk across the stage to get your associate's degree, and then your bachelor's,' she said. It would be an honor to see him do that.
Philadelphians who cannot attend the fundraiser but who wish to support Philadelphia's students, can visit www.ccp.edu/donate or send a check in care of the Office of Institutional Advancement to Community College of Philadelphia, 1500 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19130.
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