In 2016, Mills College, the liberal arts educational institution for women in Oakland, California, joined with 11 other colleges and universities in northern California to establish the Oakland Promise College Pathway program that aims to increase educational opportunities for students in the Oakland public school system.
Now Mills College has announced specific steps it is taking to achieve the goal. The Mills-Oakland Promise will include a summer bridge program to help women students transition to college. The college will establish an academic success team to guide Oakland students through their college years. Each student who is part of the program will conduct a research or creative project under the supervision of a faculty member. The students will also receive career advice and mentoring from Mills College alumnae.
All women graduates of Oakland high schools who are admitted to Mills College and have at least a 3.2 grade point average will receive a minimum of $7,000 in scholarship grants. With other local, state and federal grants, these students may have their college tuition completely paid for by scholarships.
Elizabeth Hillman, president of Mills College, stated that “we are committed to making a Mills education accessible to more students than ever before. We have forged new pathways, partnerships, and resources to help make a transformative college education both accessible and affordable.”