On July 18, Flagler College will be presented with $7.5k from Wells Fargo for its First-Generation College Students Annual Scholarship initiative. The annual scholarship will be awarded to three students at $2,500 each.
“We were thrilled to hear this news and look forward to our partnership with Wells Fargo to support first-generation college students,” said Beth Sweeny, director of foundation and government relations.
The donation is specifically earmarked for a new initiative at Flagler College to address the needs of an emerging group of students, the first-generation cohort, which is quickly becoming a large proportion of students across college campuses nationwide. In Fall 2018, just shy of 20% of Flagler’s main campus students were first-generation students. This group of students shares a unique set of challenges navigating college life. A first-generation student is the first person in the immediate family circle to attend college. It is a goal of Flagler’s to ensure inclusion of and aid to students who face the types of challenges characteristic of this student group.
In 2018, Wells Fargo has donated more than $19 million and over 90,000 volunteer hours towards community development and education initiatives.
“As a proud Flagler College alumnus, I’m excited Wells Fargo is supporting this initiative, which is part of our broader commitment to making higher education a reality for students who will be the first in their families to attend college,” said Wells Fargo Branch & Customer Experience Strategy Consultant Nicole DiBlasi. “Through this contribution, we hope to help the three scholarship recipients in their quests for a college degree.”
Other initiatives to support the first-generation student community are in the planning stages, originating out of the Center for Advising and Core Experience (CACE), a new department on Flagler’s campus. Projects include a pilot peer mentor program and social events for increased engagement and face-to-face time.
“As a first-generation college graduate, I remember well the obstacles that many of my peers did not experience. From navigating the jargon of higher education to managing imposter syndrome, there are issues that even the most academically prepared and motivated student may experience,” said Senior Director for CACE Jill Dawson. “We know that with targeted support, and particularly with mentoring from other first-gen students, faculty, and staff, they can overcome the first-year hurdles and meet their goals.”
If you are interested in learning more about supporting transformative learning for all students, including first-generation students, please visit flagler.edu/giving or call the Office of Institutional Advancement at (904) 819-6437.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Flagler College is a small private, independent college located in St. Augustine, Fla. The college offers 33 majors, 39 minors, and a master’s degree in Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing. Flagler College has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, as well as an offsite campus in Tallahassee, Fla. U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review regularly feature Flagler as a college that offers quality education at a relatively low cost. A Flagler education is less than half the cost of similar private colleges, and competitive with many state universities. A relatively young institution (founded in 1968), Flagler College is also noted for its historic beauty. The centerpiece of the campus is the former Hotel Ponce de Leon, a National Historic Landmark opened in 1888 by railroad pioneer and Standard Oil co-founder Henry M. Flagler. For more on Flagler College, visit flagler.edu.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,700 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 33 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 262,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 29 on Fortune’s 2019 rankings of America’s largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.
