PUEBLO – Colorado State University-Pueblo will build upon its long-standing commitment to provide opportunity and access to higher education through a new partnership with Raise.me, a platform that offers high school students the chance to earn scholarships on their path to college.

Through Raise.me, CSU-Pueblo is creating opportunities for students to earn scholarship dollars during their high school career and learn about the kinds of behaviors that will empower them to be successful students in high school, college, and beyond. Founded in 2012 as a social enterprise focused on expanding access to higher education, Raise.me is supporting students in 1 out of every 2 high schools in all 50 states to discover new colleges and earn scholarships. Of these students, 40 percent are low-income and 35 percent would be the first in their families to attend college.

CSU-Pueblo’s program allows prospective students to earn micro-scholarships ranging from $2-200 based on their progress and accomplishments throughout high school to a maximum of $8,000 for Colorado residents and $16,000 for out of state students. Eligible students can start earning micro-scholarships as early as ninth grade for various achievements such as maintaining a GPA above 3.5, completing an AP course, scoring well on the SAT or ACT, visiting CSU-Pueblo’s campus, volunteering in their community, and participating in an extracurricular activity or sport.

“Raise.me provides a unique and innovative way to connect students with CSU-Pueblo in a way that recognizes their special talents and achievements, while providing them with a great opportunity to make higher education more affordable,” said Chrissy Holliday, vice president of enrollment management and student affairs. “Raise.me shares our commitment to providing access to higher education for students who may have not thought it was in reach.”

Holliday said the micro-scholarships take into account the institutional funds CSU-Pueblo would generally provide to a student with similar achievements, and the earnings are a representation of the minimum amount students will receive as part of the institutional aid package, after verification of high school performance. It is possible that other funds may be made available, so qualifying students are encouraged to apply for the CSU-Pueblo Foundation’s annual competitive scholarships.

High school counselors interested in partnering with the University to learn more about connecting their students to Raise.me should contact Director of Admissions Tiffany Kingrey at 549-2708 or tiffany.kingrey@csupueblo.edu. CSU-Pueblo admission counselors also will be sharing information about the new program with teachers and other school personnel during their recruitment visits.

Holliday said making an early connection also allows the University to develop meaningful relationships with prospective students and to celebrate and reward their successes.

For additional information about Raise.me, visit https://www.csupueblo.edu/student-financial-services/scholarships/ or to sign up, https://www.raise.me/join/csupueblo

Colorado State University-Pueblo is committed to excellence, setting the standard for regional comprehensive universities in teaching, research, and service by providing leadership and access for its region, while maintaining its commitment to diversity.

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