ALUMNI
DREAMING, BELIEVING, SUCCEEDING
In 2017, the Rutgers Future Scholars began graduating from college, a 9 year journey that started when they were middle school attendees.
Back in 2008, each 7th grader had their own unique story, individual challenges and hurdles for them to overcome, but what they had in common was a dream — a dream that one day they may be attending college, something that no one in their family had been able to do.
The first cohort of Rutgers Future Scholars would be pioneers; the first in their family to go to college, and the first students in a revolutionary program that had yet to be tested.
Many years later, the Rutgers Future Alumni have proved that dreams are possible. From public high schools in New Jersey, these young adults have made their way to some of the finest and most respected colleges and universities in the country.
The faculty at the Rutgers Future Scholars program couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome. We are incredibly proud to announce the Class of 2017, and we’re sure that each and every one of them will succeed going forward.
A PROMISE FULFILLED
Yvans Tsague was a member of the first cohort of seventh graders to enter the Rutgers Future Scholars program. He went on to study economics at Rutgers’ School of Arts and Sciences and became an ambassador for the program, mentoring younger scholars and meeting with the program’s supporters.
The full scholarship Tsague received from Rutgers Future Scholars eliminated the need for student loans and motivated him to keep his grades up. But even more valuable to Tsague was how RFS helped him prepare for college and beyond.
JASON’S STORY
“My life changed forever when I became a Rutgers Future Scholar in 2008. I was a bold, little 7th grader full of life and attitude who took on a challenge that my family and I had never explored: pursuing a college degree.
Being a first generation college student, conversations about college were not part of my family life, so I looked to the Rutgers Future Scholars program for guidance. I interacted with the staff daily to help with everything from everyday office work to communicating with donors through letters and meetings.
I then became an Ambassador for the program, speaking to donors and business professionals about the great work that the program was doing for me, my family and inner city kids within Rutgers communities.”
