By Kathy Chouteau
Richmond Promise is busy at work making sure the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t derail students’ college dreams. The organization providing college scholarships and guidance to hundreds of students from Richmond and North Richmond is unveiling a bevy of virtual college access resources aimed at keeping local students on track — and also has a relief fund to assist Promise scholars currently in college with various costs at this difficult time.
Free services include Digital Coaching, where team members Miguel Molina and Ana Perez provide one-on-one virtual appointments supporting students in college enrollment steps, financial aid or the Richmond Promise scholarship. The coaching is held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. via Google Hangouts. Click here to make an appointment.
Students can also access Next Steps Workshops, held in English/Spanish throughout April along with Richmond Promise’s educational partners. Workshops will “go over important next-steps for claiming your Richmond Promise Scholarship and successful college enrollment, and connect you to point-people and resources on partner campuses,” per the organization. Learn more and register here.
Richmond Promise has also prepared a College Access Resource Guide for students within the local community. Access it here. The organization is suggesting students additionally check out the Northern California College Promise Coalition’s COVID-19 Resource Guide & FAQ for College Students here.
The above-mentioned “Richmond Promise College Scholar Rapid Relief Fund” helps college scholars needing support with costs like groceries, computers, Wi-Fi access and travel home.
To get more info about these resources and many others—such as the Students Rising Above (SRA) Information Hub for Students and the WCCUSD’s Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP)—click here. Visit Richmond Promise’s main website here and email the organization at [email protected].
The Promise launched in 2016 thanks to a $35 million, 10-year investment by the Chevron Richmond Refinery. It provides high school seniors from Richmond and North Richmond up to $1,500 annually (over four years) to help them obtain a bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree or Career and Technical Education (CTE) certificate from an accredited four-year university or community college. The program also provides guidance in obtaining other financial aid and grants and offers workshops and resources to assist students with the application process and transition to college.
