Case Van Stolk

Contributing Writer

Starting in West Philadelphia, expanding into Hartford, then Cambridge Mass., Harlem N.Y., Syracuse N.Y., Guilford N.C. and now Cleveland, the national nonprofit Say Yes to Education (Say Yes) has given more than 130,000 disadvantaged children a chance at receiving affordable postsecondary education. On Friday, Jan. 18, The College of Wooster pledged its support to Say Yes to Education, joining nine other colleges in Ohio, and 117 academic institutions nationwide who have also made a commitment to promote college affordability. What this means is the College will provide scholarships in tandem with Say Yes in order to ensure that in-need students (“those who come from a family with a total income at or below 75,000 dollars”) from partnered communities, in the case of Wooster the Cleveland metropolitan School District, will have the funds necessary to attend the College “tuition free.”

Say Yes to Education started out as a promise by founder George Weiss to pay for the college educations of 112 West Philadelphia sixth graders on the condition they graduated high school. These children far exceeded their peers academically and simultaneously became much more likely to graduate. Soon, Weiss would not only pay for their college educations, but would also provide the much needed emotional and social support necessary for these children to thrive. Eventually, more promises would be made to many more deserving students, and these efforts would culminate into the formation of the aforementioned non-profit. Since its inception, Say Yes to Education has set out to change our nation’s urban educational infrastructure through financial, social and emotional support. 

In a press release on the same Friday, President Sarah Bolton stated, “We at Wooster are thrilled to be part of this powerful partnership with Say Yes. This gives us another avenue to welcome and support the success of students who are passionate about furthering their education. We look forward to welcoming many more future leaders from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.”

 In the words of Willis Lord, founding president of The College of Wooster, “[this institution] should be not only a place of all studies; it should be a place of studies for all.”