Iowa College Tour

Date: 2/19/2016
School/Organization: Iowa College Tour
Project Leader: Melanie Fortin
Amount: $1,400
Description: Every year academically qualified students miss out on this opportunity because they are not able to afford the trip or to visit these schools on their own. Every dollar raised directly benefits students who travel on a tour of colleges and universities. Many of these students come from financially disadvantaged households and are the first in their families to attend college. 

The $1,400 helped to cover a portion of the $500 fee for 10 students from Jefferson High School that want to attend but need help financially. This amount is in addition to $600 that was previously funded by CR netWORK’s individual fund to pay $200 for 3 other westside students (one from Jefferson as well as one from Kennedy and Washington that live on the westside). Over the course of their spring break, the students will visit and apply to colleges. The Iowa College Tour, in partnership with Diversity Focus, will embark on its 3rd Annual spring college tour of historically black colleges and universities (HBCU’s). This year students will embark on the week-long tour, which will visit thirteen HBCU’s for guided campus tours. The tour departed March 13, 2016. Tour organizers seek to increase awareness and benefits of attending HBCU’s for high school students from eastern Iowa school districts. The tour’s aim is to expose students to the culture, academic programs, and richness and history of HBCU’s. It is a traveling college tour that covers five states over seven days. The principle purpose is to share the importance of completing secondary education as a roadmap to professional advancement. U.S. News ranks five of this year’s destinations in the top 26 of all historically black colleges and universities in the nation. Three universities, Claflin University, North Carolina A&T State University, and Florida A&M University received top ten rankings from among 80 HBCU’s. Additionally, five schools ranked among the top 194 universities in National and Regional rankings. Tours over the past three years have generated more than $100,000 in academic scholar-ships for seniors traveling on the tour. Today, more than ever, education equals opportunity, and college learning is seen as the key to individual prosperity and economic security. HBCU’s attract high quality students, have produced well-educated and fully prepared graduates, and have faculty teaching at high levels just as other institutions of higher learning.