May 23, 2018

The 148 distinguished colleges and universities that are members of the Coalition for College believe that higher education should be an option for every student. To raise awareness about the accessibility of college, many Coalition schools hosted events for high school students and their supporters on May 23, 2018, as part of the inaugural Coalition Day.

On Coalition Day, students and their families, school counselors, and educators across the country were introduced to a range of free college-planning tools, including the Coalition’s online toolkit, MyCoalition (www.mycoalition.org). Designed to engage students in the college application process early and easily, MyCoalition is comprised of a convenient digital storage Locker, interactive Collaboration Space, and easy-to-use application, as well as a searchable directory of informative articles and valuable resources for college preparation.

The following schools celebrated Coalition Day 2018: Adelphi University, Binghamton University (SUNY), Bowdoin College, University at Buffalo (SUNY), Colby College, Columbia University, Elon University, Indiana University, Manhattan College, Michigan State University, Mount Holyoke College, North Carolina State University, Northeastern University, Reed College, Rice University, Rutgers University—Newark, Rutgers University—New Brunswick, Southern Methodist University, Stony Brook University (SUNY), SUNY Geneseo, Texas A&M University, University at Albany (SUNY), University of Chicago, University of Connecticut, University of Florida, University of Illinois, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, University of Pittsburgh, University of Texas—Austin, University of Vermont, University of Washington, University of Washington-Bothell, Wake Forest University, and Yale University.

In partnership with Altice USA, one of the largest broadband communications and video services providers in the U.S., four marquee Coalition Day events were held in New York City and Greenville, NC:

1. A MyCoalition information session and luncheon for counselors and leaders from community-based organizations throughout the city at the SUNY Global Center

2. An evening reception for students and families at the SUNY Global Center.

3. An evening reception for students at Harry S. Truman High School and their parents in the Bronx

4. A school-day presentation for students at J.H. Rose High School in Greenville, NC, at which the Mayor P.J. Connelly spoke.

Representatives from Coalition member schools were in attendance at these events.

Additional Coalition Day events included the following:

• The University of Chicago lead programs in 10 Chicago public high schools, and, afterward, 1,500 students celebrated with a pizza lunch.

• The University of Maryland hosted an online information session emphasizing the college admissions and financial aid processes for students in Prince George's County.

• In Seattle, the University of Washington, the University of Washington-Bothell, and Reed College teamed up to introduce MyCoalition to students in grades 9-11 and their families, high school counselors, and local community-based organizations.

• Yale provided workshops to ninth- and 10th-grade students in four New Haven, Connecticut, public schools.

• Rice University visited high schools in Houston, while, Columbia did the same throughout New York City.

• The Academic Success Program (ASP) in Dallas planned a Coalition Day celebration for students from four high schools on May 25, 2018.

“We believe in making college a reality for all students,” says Annie Reznik, executive director of the Coalition, which organized Coalition Day. “On behalf of all our member schools, we are thrilled to celebrate Coalition Day and bring students one day closer to achieving their college goals.”

The Coalition was founded by a group of dedicated college leaders in 2015 with the goal to improve the college application process for all students, particularly those from historically under-represented groups. Members include a diverse group of public and private colleges and universities that are united in their mission to support lower-income and under-resourced students, provide students with responsible financial aid, and bolster students’ success in college.