Bates College recently announced that the Schuler Education Foundation — through its Schuler Access Initiative — has awarded the school a $50 million challenge grant to help low-income and undocumented students enroll.
The Maine-based college is one of 20 schools that the foundation chose to assist in its vision to make college more accessible for such students. Furthermore, each grant will be matched dollar for dollar by donors.
“Bates was founded by people who believed in the power of education to develop the full potential of every human being. This extraordinary investment from the Schuler Education Foundation, combined with the generosity of Bates donors, provides us with the means to renew this founding vision in a very real and tangible way,” said Bates President Clayton Spencer.
“I am thrilled that we will be able to make the life-transforming experience of the liberal arts available to even greater numbers of talented students who might otherwise not have this opportunity,” Spencer concluded.
Incoming funds will allow Bates to increase Pell-eligible, undocumented, and low-income students by 50 percent over the next ten years. Spencer explained that the grant will also help Bates “attract talented and ambitious students who bring a wide range of perspectives and life experiences to their education.”
Schuler Access Initiative
The foundation formed the initiative to partner with selected colleges and universities in the hopes of opening more opportunities for Pell-eligible students — whether US citizens or not — to pursue higher education despite exceptional financial need.
Jason Patenaude, executive director of the Schuler Education Foundation, said that participating colleges were chosen based on a track record of collaboration. Bates has had one of the strongest overall graduation rates in the US and the school also boasts of a membership in the American Talent Initiative — a similar program aimed to increase the number of low- and moderate-income students attending top schools by 50,000 in the next few years.
“Combined with the deep generosity of the Bates community, this new grant creates an extraordinarily meaningful and powerful $100 million partnership,” said John D. Gillespie, Bates College Board of Trustees Chair. “There is no doubt it will be transformative, not just for the individuals it touches, but for this institution.”