Seventeen College Access students from Kensington Creative and Performing Arts High School got a taste of college life at Temple University last month. Temple student ambassadors gave the tour followed by lunch in the dining hall. Although not far from their homes and school, most students hadn’t been on the campus before. College tours give students a first-hand perspective of what post-secondary education looks like, “making their dream more of a reality,” said Rachel Gerberick, PEF’s CAP Coordinator who organized the visit. Many of them said they plan to apply to Temple after seeing the campus and talking to some current students.
Another impetus to putting Temple on their college lists was learning about the Cecil B. Moore Scholars Program which is designed for students like them: BIPOC, low-income, public high school students residing in North Philadelphia in zip codes. Those selected first take a free Temple course during their senior year of high school. Of that group, approximately 25 are admitted tuition-free to Temple as Cecil B. Moore Scholars. They attend a summer program that prepares them for college and receive special advising and experiences to ensure their successful transition to college academics and environment. The program is named after Philadelphia defense attorney, WWII veteran, and civil rights leader Cecil B. Moore (1915-1979). Moore graduated from Temple Law in 1953.
All CAP students who are admitted to a nonprofit college and have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 are eligible also for PEF’s Last Dollar Scholarship.
