PURPOSE
The Detroit College Ambassador (DCA) program is an annual youth leadership project in which selected students who attended or are attending Detroit area high schools serve as near-peer youth college ambassadors who promote college-going cultures within their schools and social circles. These students act as community leaders within the city of Detroit. We train the ambassadors to work with their high school counselors and school administrators to create or enhance the college-going culture in their buildings. The ambassadors engage in peer-to-peer support and knowledge sharing to increase postsecondary planning, college applications completion, and FAFSA completion in their school buildings and throughout the city.
Detroit College Ambassadors (DCA)
HISTORY
The Detroit College Ambassador Program Piloted in the Summer of 2019 with former College Advisors and the Executive Director of DCAN. The DCA Program is now in year 2 with 6 new ambassadors. The ambassador program hosts programming around post secondary readiness and attainment. The DCA leadership team also provides their Peers vs Pennants Ambassador training to train other students in Detroit to act as ambassadors in their schools.
The DCA program widens DCAN’s capacity to support every Detroit high school student in creating and executing postsecondary plans. Peer-to-peer support and knowledge sharing is uniquely effective because youth are largely impacted by other youths. Ultimately, the Ambassadors directly influence the futures of thousands of peers by causing them to take actions toward attaining higher education credentials and encouraging their peers, families, and communities to do the same. Peer network building reinforces citywide postsecondary education and economic advancement.
AMBASSADOR GOALS
2020-2021
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70% of students on listserv complete FAFSA application.
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70% of students on listserv apply for enrollment into at least one college or postsecondary professional trade certification program.
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70% of students on listserv register for Detroit Promise, a Detroit Regional Chamber sponsored two-and-four-year scholarship opportunities.
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70% of students on listserv are accepted to a college or postsecondary professional trade school or program.
Upcoming Events
First and Focused w/ Oakland University
February 17, 2022 10am - 3pm
High school students will be able to experience the college atmosphere at Oakland University for DCA high school engagement first lunch and learn. It will be all about first year college students but everyone is invited!
Shy'Niya Eddins
Senior at Jalen Rose Leadership Academy
Schools She Has Been Accepted To: Saint Xavier University, Albion College, Carthage College, Ferris State University, Quinnipiac University, Grand Canyon University, Eastern Michigan University, Cornell College, Saginaw Valley State, Cleveland State University, Grand Valley State University
Plans After School: She wants to go to college and study medicine and psychology with a focus on child psychology with an ultimate goal being a child psychologist or psychiatrist
Samual Burke
Senior at Fitzgerald High School
Schools He Has Been Accepted To: Ferris State University, Oakland University, Columbia College, Kentucky State, Eastern Michigan University, Central Michigan University, Langston University
Plans After High School: Sam plans to attend a four-year institution and eventually enter the media world and become a news representative.
Detroit College Ambassador Sydney Newsome-Smith had the opportunity to discuss the importance of FAFSA on Channel 7 News.
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