By Bruce Hallmark (M.S., ’04)
In 1984, Colorado State University became the first university in the nation to offer scholarships specifically for first-generation students. That’s a huge pride point, as is the fact that for the past few decades, about 20 percent of students at CSU have been the first in their families to pursue four-year degrees. This fall, that was more than 6,800 students.
These first-generation students – defined as someone whose parents (or guardians) have not completed a bachelor’s degree – are a testament to the power of land-grant universities to improve individual lives and communities by providing access to excellent education for every student with the talent and motivation to earn it.
The University provides a robust array of scholarships and services for first-generation students, some of which are funded in whole or in part by private support. One increasingly popular funding option that isn’t widely known is a matching gift opportunity offered through the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative or COSI, a Colorado Department of Higher Education grant program that makes education and professional training more accessible and affordable for students through scholarships funded with matching gifts. Scholarship grants can even help with rent and other living expenses including childcare.
The COSI match provides an opportunity for donors who have the means to make a bigger commitment and want to make a bigger difference. It requires a $50,000 gift, typically spread over five years, that is matched each year by the state.
“COSI amplifies the impact of our gift to help first-generation scholars cover the costs of higher education,” says Deb Stencel (B.S., ’78) and Patrick Phillips (B.S., ’79). “We’re pleased to partner with COSI to help these students thrive through their university experience and beyond.”
A Program Model that Works
Ryan Barone, assistant vice president for CSU’s Department of Student Success who was also a first-generation student, knows firsthand the myriad gains that come from investments in first-generation scholarships and endowments. “Graduating from college has so many societal benefits. There are strong correlations with the increased tax base for cities and states, higher voting rates, and less use of Medicare and Medicaid,” he said. “And we know how to graduate these students at Colorado State. The efficacy of our model has been proven and it’s a smart investment for our generous supporters. At this point, achieving more success is just a resource question.”
The Student Success team is part of a campuswide effort to increase the first-year retention rate from 84 to 90 percent to reach a graduation rate of 80 percent during the next few years. Achieving those benchmarks requires focusing on limited income, racially minoritized, and first-generation students, whose graduation rates are typically 7 to 11 percent lower than their peers. Student success initiatives are aimed at closing that gap.
“What we’ve learned is that just giving students scholarships isn’t enough. We need to nest them in a support program with a dedicated advisor who’s got a connection to their story,” said Barone, who was appointed by Governor Jared Polis in 2019 to serve on the COSI Advisory Board representing all four-year institutions in the state.
Linda Peotter, and her husband, Jeff, have been supporting student initiatives at CSU since 2012, most notably the First Generation Award Legacy Scholarship and the First Generation Program. “First Generation scholarships provide opportunities for students that change the trajectory of their lives and of generations to come, and when we support them, they are just as successful as other students,” she said. And she concurs with Barone’s assessment. “CSU provides really good wrap-around services; their graduation rate is high, and they provide more support for students who need it.”
Finish What You Started
Colleges and universities across the country saw enrollment decline during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although most institutions are recovering, the disruption proved too much for some students. In response, the COSI Advisory Board created a new program called “Finish What You Started” focused on providing scholarships to first-generation and limited-income students who intended to start college but never made it, or started but had to withdraw.
“We are currently working with more than 100 students who had to stop out to work, take care of their families, or deal with medical concerns during the past two years, and a few of them have already graduated in just a semester with the support of this program,” said Barone. “It’s just one more way that COSI grants are making a real difference in the lives of our students.”
Learn more about first-generation scholarships at CSU.
For more information about COSI grants, please visit the Colorado Department of Higher Education website and the Finish What You Started program page.
To discuss funding a COSI scholarship, please contact Marilyn Butcher with Enrollment, Academic & Student Affairs at marilyn.butcher@colostate.edu or (970) 491-6588.