Making Concrete Next Steps Possible

Background for the Oster Scholardship

After high school, education and career development continue to provide opportunities to many people, and race and income are usually predictors of student access to and success in postsecondary options. Additionally, Summit's various research through the Postsecondary Pathways Initiative informs us that economic empowerment is an urgent need for America’s most under-served populations. But the most reliable path to get there — a four-year college degree — presents significant obstacles. The price of college is prohibitive for many students from low-to-middle income families and often directly leads to decisions to not enroll or drop out of college. Even so, the cost of vocational training takes a significant financial toll on low-to-middle income families, and vocational training programs can sometimes require students to balance the opportunity cost of working with further education, training, and certification.

As a result, and knowing the importance of financial stability in postsecondary options, in partnership with Robert and Marion Oster, we have established a scholarship fund to support students as they leave Summit and pursue their Concrete Next Step - Summit’s commencement-level outcome, sitting alongside Cognitive Skills, Content Knowledge, and Habits of Success. To stay true to Summit's vision of all students equipped for a life of fulfillment, this scholarship fund will significantly contribute to the vision by addressing the financial obstacles many Summit students face after they graduate from high school.