From the Trustees
There are several highlights to share from the past academic year One hundred thirty-nine Renaissance Scholars graduated, our largest group so far This includes the first group (of 26) from the relatively new program in Chicago Our team of 42 volunteers processed hundreds of applications and approved 220 new scholars. Since inception Renaissance Scholars are graduating within six years at an 85% rate, and 89% overall. This is down slightly from recent years, but still several times the average for first-generation college students. We don’t yet have sufficient data to understand this decline, but suspect COVID may have been a factor
For the academic year just starting we are supporting more than 850 scholars, and Callie Forrest our Scholarship Manager is betting we shall hit our goal of 1,000 next year. This goal is based on The Renaissance Foundation’s long term expected financial capacity, which means that soon and for the first time, our selection rate may decline as the numbers of applicants increase and awardees stay static Also this year, we have increased the annual scholarship awards from $4,000 to $5,000
Thank you to our volunteers, to our staff Callie, Charlotte and Katie, to Diana Hoff and to our partners. As always feel free to ask questions and share comments.
Regards,
IrvingLevin StephanieFowler
Irving Levin
Stephanie Fowler Trustees
About the Renaissance Scholars Program (RSP)
The Scholarship
This year we are excited to announce that the scholarship award amount has been increased from $4,000 to $5,000 per year! As the costs of college continue to rise, we hope that this increase supports students even more in their college journeys.
Scholarship funds can be applied to tuition and fees, housing, books and supplies, depending on each student’s individual financial need. The award may be used at any accredited, four-year college in the United States
Our Scholars
All scholars must meet rigorous standards: Will be first in their family to earn a bachelor's degree
3.0 GPA or higher
High financial need
Currently residing in Oregon or Illinois or planning to attend a partner HBCU
Demonstrated strength of character and strong work ethic
The scholarship is renewable for up to four years Scholars are eligible for renewal if they maintain a minimum 2 5 GPA, have continued financial need, and are enrolled full-time at a four-year institution
Scholar Support
RSP's first priority is encouraging scholars to connect with resources at their college. However, we do provide a few RSP-specific resources. These include our online resource library, quarterly resource newsletter, virtual career panels featuring RSP alumni, and a few in-person social gatherings per year where scholars can meet one another, the Trustees, and RSP staff
Partnerships
RSP works closely with several mentoring organizations in Oregon and Chicago to ensure that scholars are supported beyond the scholarship funds they receive from the program
Current Scholars
2023 2023
220
New Renaissance Scholars Selected
$3.5M
Scholarship Support in 2023
Most-Attended Colleges
139 Renaissance Scholars Graduated College
For the first time since the program ’ s inception in 2005, Portland State University has been unseated as our mostattended college
3.42
Average Renaissance Scholar College GPA
85%
Renaissance Scholars Identify as People of Color
Scholars Sourced From
866 Renaissance Scholars Awarded in 2023-24 Academic Year
*Initially, our scholars were sourced through Oregon- and Chicago-based mentoring programs, and partner colleges Over the years, that has expanded to include students in Oregon and Illinois unaffiliated with those programs as well. In 2021 as a test, we considered applicants from any state The "Other" category includes the accepted scholars from this pool (Without these scholars from outside our two initial states, the "Other" category would be 1% ) We ended this test after 2021 for new applicants and returned to our traditional applicant restrictions, but will continue to support those selected throughout their college careers, and will analyze results to reconsider our criteria in the future
Renaissance Graduates
Ensuring that our scholars graduate is our top priority
According to The Pell Institute, the national average graduation rate for first-generation, low-income students is 21% We are especially proud of our scholars' success in the face of this enduring disadvantage.
Biology, political science, accounting, business, and public health were the most popular majors among the RSP Class of 2023. We are proud of our scholars’ achievements and the impact that they are making in their communities. To keep them connected with the program as they advance, we offer a few different engagement opportunities, and we are delighted that many alumni participate.
480
All-Time Renaissance Scholar Graduates (2008-2023)
139
Renaissance Scholars Graduated in 2023
*The “all-time” graduation rate including scholars who took more than six years to graduate is 89%
213
Renaissance Scholars Plan to Graduate in 2024
Alumni Engagement Opportunities
Attend scholar brunches and alumni socials
Utilize CareerSpring resource to find mentors and jobs
Participate on career panels for current scholars
Volunteer on the scholarship selection committee
All graduates receive a Renaissance Scholars pin to wear at their graduation ceremony
Alumni Spotlight
JESSE MCDONALD
is a Renaissance Scholars alumnus and current volunteer on the RSP selection committee After serving in the Marines, he attended Portland Community College After transferring to Portland State University, Jesse earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting He currently works as a senior accountant
How did you make the decision to attend college?
I lived in Montana and graduated from [high school] in 2007. I didn't plan on going to college right out of school. I didn't really know what I wanted to do. When I was 21, I got married, and by the time I was about 23, I realized if I wanted to leave Montana and change the cycle of poverty that we were in, I would have to go to school or do something about it So, I put out applications Then, I clicked on a link on Facebook that said “do you wanna join the Marine Corps?” And I was like, “ sure sounds great!” The recruiter called me back 10 minutes later When that happened, he got me in there as quick as possible, signed some paperwork, and I joined the military. I was in the Marine Corps from 2012 to 2016.
When I was done, I was 26 or 27 and I still wasn't really positive what I wanted to do I came up to Portland because I had a brother who lived up here, and some friends from Montana I originally chose PCC over PSU because I thought I would go to the Sylvania campus I lived in Tigard and the campus just down the road I had two children at the time The whole reason that I went to school was so I would have a stable income and a way to take care of my family. So, just like that, I became an accounting major. It looked very appealing for what I want to do with my life. I started at PCC in September of 2017 and then realized shortly after that I still wanted to go to PSU
What was it like to enroll in community college as a nontraditional student?
I was very confident in my academic skills and my ability to do well in school I didn't take any sort of prep, but if you don't practice it for 10 years, it goes away So, I got some humble pie pretty quick when going back to school I thought community college would be easy It made me realize very quickly, if you want to do this, you have to put in work. I realized I had a lot to learn and I wasn't quite as capable as I thought I was after having that 10 year gap in between high school and starting college.
Jesse and his family at the Oregon Zoo
Jesse backpacking in Olympic National Park
How did being the first person in your family to attend college affect your experience?
I came from a large family in Montana, my parents and I have seven siblings I was right in the middle By the time I was hitting a lot of those benchmarks in becoming an adult, there was always someone I could lean on. My family could always help me with those pieces. Being the first one to go to school, I was just absolutely flying blind and had no idea what I was doing. I think that's part of the reason that I didn't start until I was 27. I didn't know how admissions worked. I didn't know how loans worked. I didn't know how scholarships worked. I had a longer lead up to breaking that initial barrier, but once I got in it was like “oh this is something I can totally do!” I told myself it'd be more difficult because my family hadn't done it, but they just hadn't had the opportunity yet
How did you balance working and being a parent during college?
My advice for time management is to find what works for you. My calendar is a OneNote notebook. I don't use planners, I have to write it out note by note. It took me two or three years to figure that out and it's the easiest way I can flip through my pages, I have it all digital Time management just comes down to how well you can organize and prioritize your tasks in front of you You probably won't do everything that you want to do and you have to prioritize your own deadlines while also being a human and making sure you have time for yourself You have a brain and a heart, got to take care of those too.
Why did you decide to volunteer on the Renaissance scholarship selection committee?
Pretty plain and simple, the Foundation took really good care of me when I was in school There was a direct relationship between the scholarship money that I got and the overtime I did not have to work I was just grateful from the very beginning and to be able to pay it forward. They took care of me and as a result my one of my sisters has her associates, my niece just got her associates and I'm seeing people in my family have different trajectories because I went to school I went to school and showed they could do it I've helped with FAFSA forms and all the stuff and I was just able to do I had other smaller scholarships, but this is the one that took care of the brunt of my financial burden
How has your experience been as a Renaissance volunteer?
Even though I was a little older when I did it, it’s great to see how young and bright and how determined a lot of these students are. You read through the essays and no one had an easy path to get through. There's some candidates and the adversity that they've overcome is just absolutely incredible I'm hoping to see some names somewhere down the road, maybe I had a a helping hand in that one It's a pleasure to help get resources in the hands of people who are going to use it I know it’s going to better their future There's so much potential there and they just need a little help to get where they're going
Read Jesse’s full interview and learn about his accounting career at rscholars.org.
Jesse running a marathon in Kennewick, WA
Scholar Resources
Each year, we survey RSP alumni to learn more about their college experience. We consistently hear that they wish they had more support in academic success, financial wellness, career development, and finding mentors We are proud to offer several resources to address these interests.
Renaissance Scholars Resources
In-Person Social Events
Quarterly Resource Newsletter
Virtual Career Panels
Online Resource Library
CareerSpring Platform
Spotlight on CareerSpring
CareerSpring is a free online platform of career information, professional networking/mentoring opportunities, and job placement services designed specifically for first-generation college students Renaissance has partnered with CareerSpring, giving our scholars access to the many resources they provide
Connections to Mentors
Informational interviews
Resume review
Company/positionspecific advice
Informational Resources
Workplace how-to guides Day-in-the-life career videos
Job Placement
Exclusive internship/job opportunities
Personalized interview preparation
Partnerships
In 2005, the Renaissance Scholars Program was founded in partnership with Portland State University Since then we have expanded, partnering with other organizations that promote college access and success In 2018, our expansion to Chicago was made possible by partnerships with Chicago Scholars, Cristo Rey Network, and College Possible
Throughout the year, we work with our partners to support student progress on the scholarship application We know that the support scholars receive from their mentors in addition to the scholarship funding they receive from us work together to support them on their path to a bachelor's degree
Renaissance Scholars Partners
Chicago Scholars
College Possible
Cristo Rey Network
Elizabeth City State University
Portland Community College- Future Connect
Portland State University
Project Youth+
North Carolina Central University
Stand for Children- Beat the Odds Stillman College
Celebrating Chicago Renaissance Scholars!
This year, we celebrated our first 26 Chicago graduates! We are so proud of these scholars and feel honored to have supported them on their journey through college Our Chicago cohort continues to grow and we look forward to supporting many more scholars
My college education to me means that I am given a seat at tables that I otherwise could only dream of being given a seat at It has changed my life for the better and in unexpected ways It has opened so many doors for me in life and in my career and has helped introduce me to people that have contributed so much to my life.
The Renaissance scholarship has tremendously improved my life’s trajectory both in terms of education and career It allowed me to focus on school instead of working to make ends meet This set me up for success as I was able to concentrate on my classes and graduate with honors from the University of Chicago
Fatou Dioum
Chicago Scholars member
University of Chicago 2023
Thank You to Our Volunteer Committee!
Each scholarship application is evaluated by three different readers to ensure a fair average score. We are grateful to have a dedicated volunteer team to help us facilitate this process. Our volunteers come from a variety of different professional backgrounds, including many current and former educators. This season, we are especially proud to share that over half of our volunteers were alumni of the Renaissance Scholars Program
Adam Talkington*
Portland State University 2010 University of Wisconsin Madison 2016
Agnes Hoffman
Washington State University 1973 Northwestern University 1974 Portland State University 1977
Al Mollica Shippensburg University 1975 Delaware State University 1994
Alexander McPherson* Concordia University 2019
Amy Trieu Carleton College 2006
Barbara Kuzniak VanAmerongen
State University of New York at Albany 1972 Ball State University 1975
Beatriz Najera Perez* Seattle University 2019
Cecily Smith Grinnell College 2018
Charlie Stillman Amherst College 1967 University of Washington 1983
Cierra Jackson
Texas A&M University 2019 Texas Christian University 2022
Cindy Fontenot Spelman College 1990
Citlaly Arroyo-Juarez* Portland State University 2022
Cynthia Bui* Brown University 2022
DeShanna Brown Kennesaw State University 2003 DeVry University 2006 Nova Southeastern University 2016
Diane Mulligan University of Oregon 1974, 1979, 1994
Doris Medina University of Illinois at Chicago 2015
Fernando Aguilar* Pacific University 2020
Gleennia Napper
The University of Chicago 2003 Brooklyn Law School 2012
Haley Soller* Portland State University 2021
Helen Vu* St. Olaf College 2021
Janet Bedolla Salinas* Portland State University 2023
Jesse McDonald* Portland State University 2021
Josie Bowlouden* Eastern Oregon University 2021
Julia Misenhimer* Portland State University 2021
Katrina Machorro
Oregon State University 2009 University of Virginia 2013
Kelli Diaz
Loyola University 1993, 1996
King Kwasitsu* Portland State University 2020
Maria Than* Middlebury College 2021
Marius Balola*
Oregon State University 2013, 2019
Marty Mitchell Beloit College 1974
Brigham Young University 1991
Mayra Cordova*
Portland State University 2020
Monish Lal*
Portland State University 2012
Nicole Yip*
Pacific University 2018
Florida State University 2022
Paulina Manzo*
Portland State University 2017
Sarah Li*
Portland State University 2018 Trevecca Nazarene University 2023
Shayna Beymer*
Portland State University 2017
Shyann Montgomery* University of Oregon 2021
Susan Stillman
Smith College 1969
Tom Bull
Loyola University 1995
Northwestern University 2004
Tori Cook* Western Oregon University 2022
Yazmin Manzo*
Portland State University 2020
Yuyan Luo*
Portland State University 2021
*Renaissance Scholars Alumni
The Renaissance Team
The Renaissance Foundation
Irving Levin, Trustee
Stephanie Fowler, Trustee
Jonah Edelman, Advisor
Lizzie Levin, Advisor
Renaissance Scholars Program
From left to right:
Callie Forrest, Scholarship Program Manager
Katie Varness, Scholarship Program Coordinator
Charlotte Crabtree, Special Projects Coordinator
Diana Hoff, Director of Operations and Administration
