New agreement with Dayton Public Schools will cover tuition for eligible students at Wright State

Students from two Dayton public high schools can receive full-tuition scholarships at Wright State University and personalized support and coaching during their high school and college careers through a new pathway program.

Under an affiliation agreement between Wright State University and Dayton Public Schools, up to 20 students enrolled at Belmont and Thurgood Marshall High Schools will be selected annually to participate in Wright State’s Take Flight Program for academically accomplished students with financial need.

The students will be selected for the program when they are in the ninth grade and after graduating high school will enroll at Wright State’s Dayton Campus.

The new partnership creates a pathway for intentional and ongoing engagement with Dayton Public School students, said Wright State President Sue Edwards, Ph.D.

“This new agreement between Wright State and the Dayton Public Schools is part of the university’s continuing efforts to support our students and help them meet their goals,” Edwards said. “Most importantly, it greatly increases Wright State’s presence and visibility in one of the largest school districts in Raider Country. Wright State will now have a dedicated presence in Belmont and Thurgood Marshall High Schools, allowing staff to engage with students throughout their high school careers.”

“We are very excited to partner with Wright State University to provide this opportunity to Belmont and Thurgood students,” said interim Superintendent David Lawrence, Ph.D. “The Take Flight Program will make a big difference in the lives of 20 students and ultimately set them on a trajectory toward greater lifelong success. We are looking forward to seeing what students will accomplish because of this partnership and hope that more students can benefit in the future once the program gets underway.”

In high school, students will be able to participate in activities aimed at reinforcing a college-going mindset and routine, regularly visit Wright State’s Dayton Campus, receive opportunities to help them align their interests and aptitude with academic and career pathways, and meaningfully interact with Wright State staff, faculty and students.

Wright State will also offer a Summer Bridge Program to help the students learn about the Dayton Campus and promote first-year college success and a peer-to-peer mentoring program to help them transition to college.

Once they enroll at Wright State, students in the program will work with a dedicated success coach who will mentor them and provide support throughout their first year and beyond.

Eligible students must be enrolled full-time at Belmont and Thurgood Marshall High Schools, maintain a GPA of 3.2 or higher, and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.

Once enrolled at Wright State, students will receive funding for up to 18 hours of undergraduate tuition per semester. Wright State’s Take Flight Program covers the gap between students’ federal and state grants and scholarships and their undergraduate tuition.

Students will also receive the following benefits:

• Fee waiver for the student and one family member for Summer Orientation
• Up to $100 in textbook vouchers each academic year
• Wright State laptop and backpack
• Special workshops to provide information about internships, research opportunities and career development
• Priority consideration for Wright State’s Take Flight Leadership Camps and pre-arrival program, which is designed to build strong relationships between student leaders

Students will also be offered on-campus employment through the Federal Work-Study program, a federal employment program.

Costs for housing, meals, books, supplies, transportation and personal expenses are not included in the Take Flight program but may be covered by other funding sources, such as federal student loans, Federal Work-Study funds and private loans.

In addition to the Take Flight Program, Wright State offers First-Year Scholarships to eligible undergraduate students who enroll directly from high school.

Admitted first-year students are automatically considered for academic scholarships based on their high school GPA, as well as need-based grants when they submit their FAFSA to Wright State.

Along with providing gift aid to help provide an affordable education, Wright State has one of the lowest tuition rates among Ohio’s four-year universities.

The Wright Tuition Guarantee Program locks in the same annual cost of tuition, housing and dining over a four-year college career for newly admitted, degree-seeking undergraduate students who are Ohio residents.