Title:Investing in first-generation student excellence

Established in 1968, Georgetown University’s Community Scholars Program is a nationally recognized model for supporting the academic success of first-generation and limited-income college students. The program’s hallmark is a rigorous five-week summer pre-orientation on Georgetown’s campus before students’ first year, laying a strong foundation for their undergraduate experience.

The Community Scholars Program has grown considerably in recent years and now serves more than 300 Georgetown undergraduate students from around the nation and a wide variety of backgrounds and lived experiences. As Georgetown continues to expand its enrollment of limited-income students, the Community Scholars Program is poised to have an even more significant role in bringing talent to Georgetown and ensuring that students can thrive across all dimensions of learning and formation—a core commitment of the Called to Be campaign.

Seeking to facilitate that growth and secure the program’s ongoing impact, several members of the Georgetown community have made generous gifts to establish the Community Scholars Program’s first dedicated endowment. This crucial foundation is providing annual resources in support of the program’s mission, its ambitions, and its proven impact, as Georgetown works toward its goal of fully endowing the Community Scholars Program.

Caring for the whole student—from their first moments

Housed within the Division of Student Affairs, the Community Scholars Program enables first-generation college students to see Georgetown as an institution invested in their success even before they begin classes in the fall. As part of its holistic admissions process, Georgetown considers how incoming students may benefit from the Community Scholars Program. Scholars are then welcomed into the program as part of their Georgetown offer of admission and are invited to the program’s signature pre-orientation the summer before their first semester.

“Most universities sent me a letter saying, ‘Congratulations, you’re accepted!’ Only Georgetown mentioned a program for first-generation, low-income students,” Ali Chaudhry (B’26), a Community Scholar and International Business Asia Regional Studies major, told Georgetown Magazine. “It reinforced Georgetown’s commitment towards caring for students and providing an accessible and equitable education for all. It was very impressive.”

Laying the groundwork for undergraduate success

For Community Scholars, the summer pre-orientation program plays an integral role in their transition to college-level coursework and in their sense of community at Georgetown. In addition to providing a meal plan and on-campus accommodations, the summer session covers the cost of course materials and travel for students who live more than 250 miles from Washington, DC.

Scholars take two credit-bearing courses during the summer program: an intensive reading and writing course that continues during the fall semester and an elective students choose from a range of subjects. Scholars also participate in workshops, seminars, and academic advising sessions that strengthen their time management and study strategies, connecting along the way with deans, financial aid counselors, and other campus partners who will continue to support them throughout the school year.

Philanthropy strengthening Georgetown’s network of support

All students selected to be Community Scholars are also invited to the Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP), which provides wraparound community support and resources for first-generation and limited-income undergraduate students. GSP, founded in 2004, serves approximately 650 undergraduates, offering classes that demystify the college and post-graduate experience, community-building events, alumni mentorship, professional development resources, and emergency microgrants for students encountering unexpected, out-of-pocket expenses. Both programs work in concert to build a more connected campus where every student has the resources they need to flourish.

“My time as part of the Community Scholars Program and the Georgetown Scholars Program has been integral to my education at Georgetown,” says Sarah Craig (F’23, MA’26). “They have taught me what it means to experience Georgetown as a first-generation student, and have supported me throughout my time in college.”

GSP’s operations and its emergency microgrants are funded through an endowment made possible by the generosity of Georgetown’s donor community. The Community Scholars Program is not yet fully endowed, and donor support will be essential to securing this flagship program and deepening its impact. Achieving the Community Scholars Program’s $45 million endowment goal will enable Georgetown to grow its student cohort; recruit and retain dedicated staff; and strengthen the academic, professional, and mental health support for Scholars—ensuring new generations of first-generation students can feel at home at Georgetown and participate fully in the college experience.