Two Boston students receive $20,000 scholarships from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

BOSTON – The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation has selected two Boston Public Schools (BPS) students to receive $20,000 scholarships through the Dell Scholars Program. English High School senior Ruth Cornelio, of Hyde Park, and East Boston High School senior Tiffany Armstrong, of East Boston, were among 300 students from around the country selected for these unique scholarships, which target low-income students.

Most Dell Scholars are first-generation college students and are chosen because they participate in an approved college readiness program and maintain at least a 2.4 grade point average on a 4.0 scale while dealing with personal responsibilities at home or in their communities. Both Ms. Cornelio and Ms. Armstrong participated in the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program at their schools. AVID is a nationally-recognized curriculum designed to prepare “students in the middle” for college through skill-building and college exposure.

“We are thrilled that not one – but two – Boston students were selected for this competitive national scholarship and we congratulate Ruth and Tiffany on this achievement,” said Superintendent Carol R. Johnson. “As these scholars demonstrate, college readiness programs such as AVID are a key way to provide students with the extra skills and support they need to get ready for and be successful in college. Expanding these programs is among the strategies the district is using to eliminate access and achievement gaps and ensure that every student leaves BPS prepared to achieve in college and beyond.”

Dell Scholars will receive $20,000 each to continue their higher education for the next six years. More than just a check, the Dell Scholars Program also provides its students with technology, resources and mentoring to ensure they have the support they need to obtain a college degree.  The additional resources have contributed to the program’s retention rate of almost 95 percent, well above the national average of 23 percent for students with the same socioeconomic profile.

“We award low-income or financially underserved students who perform better than their GPAs or test scores may indicate, and who have overcome some significant obstacles to pursue their education,” said Oscar Sweeten-Lopez, of the Dell Scholars Program at the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. “Our program and support constantly evolves based on our experiences with students and schools but we continue to provide these students with unprecedented support for everything they need to obtain a college degree and graduate with far less debt than the average college student.”

In addition to GPA and college readiness program participation, Dell Scholars requirements also include graduation from an accredited high school, demonstrated financial need and intent to enter a bachelor’s degree program at an accredited higher education institution in the fall. The Dell Scholars Program uses its custom-built software with a sophisticated algorithm that helps predict a student’s propensity to graduate from college based on several factors, despite the personal challenges these determined, low-income students must address in their lives. 

The Dell Scholars Program was named the 2008 “Scholarship Provider of the Year” by the National Scholarship Providers Association because of its unique scholar profile and retention success. For a complete listing of the class of 2010 Dell Scholars, visit www.dellscholars.org.