Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Newman.
Steve, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
As a teacher at Evanston Township High School, I witnessed the inequity of resources and networks for students to not only go to college but through college. Helping students with test prep or sitting with them over lunch for one session was too minimal — students without adequate resources need a sustained, consistent network of support. Thus, in 2011, I started Evanston Scholars. I researched other college access and success programs and decided on a 6-year model that began in the junior year of high school. We started with 10 students. We had 10 mentors. We had some successes, and we learned from our mistakes.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Of course, there have been some bumps. I equate it to my days as a teacher — have a lesson plan, but be willing to adapt to the diverse and unique needs of the people we serve, and the changing landscape we navigate. Part of the ongoing struggles has been that the opportunity gap in our country continues to widen. The costs of college are skyrocketing. The skills needed to navigate the transition to college and career are complex and evolving. Thus, how we can help students and families within this landscape is an ongoing struggle. In addition, starting a small non-profit is a struggle — everyone has to wear many hats, Finding more money to provide more resources is a struggle. Wanting to always do more for these deserving students is a struggle. But, like the students, we have to keep a growth mindset ourselves and learn so we can be sustainable.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Evanston Scholars story. Tell us more about the business.
Evanston Scholars’ mission is to improve college access and success for a diverse group of ambitious Evanston students who are traditionally first-generation college entrants, low-income students, and students of color, starting with the college admissions process and continuing through college graduation.
Evanston Scholars is a grassroots community based-organization serving the Evanston community. Evanston Scholars is low scale, high touch, and high impact. Our students, parents, and mentors refer to their “Evanston Scholars family” and our students are persisting in college at a rate of 96% — well above similar college access and successful nonprofit organizations.
We serve Evanston students over a six-year period beginning the summer after sophomore year of high school (age 16) and ending upon college graduation (age 22 and over).
Our students want to earn a college degree, but lack the financial and college knowledge they need to succeed. The criteria for entrance into the Evanston Scholars program include:
• Academic potential: B average (minimum 2.7 GPA)
• Demonstrated need (qualify for free or reduced lunch)
• First generation in their families to graduate from college
• Demonstrated character and ambition
The demographics of our students are as follows:
68% female; 32% male 97% minority (52% African American, 35% Hispanic)
82% low-income (qualify for free or reduced lunch)
84% first-generation in their family to graduate from college
Most recent results from 2017:
1) College Persistence (percentage of students persisting in college): 96%
2) College Graduation (percentage of students who have graduated from our first two cohorts): 70%
3) College Enrollment (students who matriculate to college after high school graduation): 99%
4) High School graduation: 100%
5) ACT Score (average increase in ACT score following test preparation course): 3.2 points
6) College Applications (average number of applications submitted): 10
7) Full-tuition Scholarships and Aid (percentage of students who enroll at schools with): 67%
8) Debt-free Scholarships and Aid (per student average at enrolled school, over four years): $128,000
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Personally, I have felt very fortunate to live a life of privilege. While I don’t have the same lived experiences as many of the students/families in our program, I try to listen and understand their perspective. While most of our students come from marginalized or under-resourced households, we like to present the idea — “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity” — so they can see luck in a different light. Thus, our focus is on preparation and providing opportunities so they can experience more “good luck.”
Contact Info:
- Address: 1234 Sherman Avenue, Suite 214
Evanston, IL 60202 - Website: www.evanstonscholars.org
- Phone: 847-287-9022
- Email: snewman@evanstonscholars.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evanstonscholars/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvanstonScholars/
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