On Jan. 19, Middlebury announced its new partnership with QuestBridge, a nonprofit which offers full scholarships to low-income students who are matched with and admitted to selective universities. Middlebury’s first QuestBridge Scholars will matriculate in fall 2023.
“This is an important partnership for Middlebury, and for realizing our shared goals with QuestBridge around access and equity in education," Dean of Admissions Nicole Curvin said in a press release. "We’re a private institution, but we’re also a public good. And a public good should be accessible to all. We look forward to our joint work ahead.”
In addition to being a part of the college admissions and scholarship process in the fall of 2022, Middlebury will also participate in QuestBridge events throughout this year geared toward helping select high school juniors prepare for the college admissions process. “We are moved by Middlebury’s commitment to making their campuses accessible, affordable, and welcoming to students from diverse backgrounds, and believe this partnership will offer QuestBridge scholars unique academic opportunities and life experiences," Ana McCullough, QuestBridge CEO and cofounder, said in the press release. "We are excited for our QuestBridge Scholars to join the exceptional community at Middlebury.”
Amherst, Bowdoin, Colby, Hamilton, Tufts, Wesleyan and Williams are also QuestBridge partners, making Middlebury the eighth NESCAC school to join.
This partnership is one of several admissions initiatives designed to make Middlebury more accessible. Middlebury has been a Posse Partner since 1999, and recruits Posse scholars from New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. In addition, Middlebury also has a Student Ambassador program, which is designed to “to increase outreach and recruitment to high school students located in rural, low-income serving, and ethnically diverse areas,” according to their website.
“At Middlebury, we’re committed to a campus experience where all voices contribute to the conversations we have every day in our classrooms and labs, theaters, concert halls, and on our athletics fields,” Middlebury President Laurie L. Patton said in a press release. “An inclusive community is a more creative one.”
QuestBridge alumni are also able to participate in a match application process for graduate school and become part of a robust alumni network, which aims to ensure that they continue to have opportunities to succeed and thrive past college.
Daleelah Saleh ’23 is an Opinions Editor.
She intends to pursue an International Global Studies major with a Global Gender Studies track.
Her coverage at The Campus has included contributions to arts and opinion. In addition to working at The Campus, she is a peer writing tutor at the CTLR and has been involved with WRMC, Verbal Onslaught, and Oratory Now.
