Rising Scholars Program Opens College Pathways for Justice-Impacted Youth

By providing a nurturing environment and tangible resources, the Middlesex College Rising Scholars program offered by the Center for Justice-Impacted Students gives high-school aged students who have experienced significant issues in their lives the view of a better tomorrow.

“We are supporting justice-impacted youth in our community, which not only aligns with our mission as a community college, but it means we are also reaching and supporting new students who may not otherwise attend college,” said Alexandra Fields, the Academic Director of the Center for Justice-Impacted Students. “They are starting to think about potential colleges and this connects them to our institution as a resource and then our students can hone onto enrolling at the college.”

Nearly a dozen students are enrolled in a Student Success course held in Raritan Hall on the Edison campus. The students have all been directly impacted by legal issues, perhaps on juvenile probation or affected by the opioid crisis somewhere in their family.

The course helps students understand successful habits in education and in life, showing them potential job opportunities and restoring a level of self-confidence. There are trips to New York City and Philadelphia for cultural experiences and college tours and workshops for students and their families. Students receive three college credits upon completion.

“A lot of the students who are involved never saw themselves as college students, so even on day one, just saying to them ‘you’re a college student now’ is big,” said Fields. “Just shifting that narrative is important and empowering. Maybe you’ve been seen as the problem kid or the kid who gets in trouble or the kid who has no future, but no, you’re a college student and there is a big group of people who see who you really are.”

The Rising Scholars program, now in its second year, has been funded through multiple county-level grants.

Through the work and connections of Spencer McCray, Rising Scholars program lead, students from Middlesex County are referred to the Center either from local probation officers or high school guidance counselors.

Fields and McCray find the work extremely rewarding. There are group text chains among the students, and new opportunities to build alumni connections.

“One of the reasons I love teaching at a community college and why it’s so essential to me is because the whole point is not just to serve our students, but to engage in outreach and provide broader educational resources to our larger community,” said Fields. “We can serve, support, and help students who don’t often see themselves reflected in academia. This program exemplifies that.”