“It is not a failure to adjust my sails to fit the waters I find myself in.”
The ability to adjust and thrive in new or changing situations is a key outcome for students who earn a Go Farther scholarship. This year, more than any other, our students and our organization had to adjust.
One thing we all adjusted to was the Zoom meeting. This Fall, Go Farther alumnus, Juan, talked via Zoom with our Founder, David. In 2013, Juan was the recipient of a scholarship to travel to Costa Rica after his freshman year of high school. He shared with us the impact his travel experience had on his education and his life, including his recent college graduation and job search amidst the Covid pandemic.
The full conversation is available on our website, but the biggest takeaway is how Juan summed up the benefit of his Costa Rica experience. He learned that he, “didn’t want to be confined to one location anymore”. Juan said he carries that sentiment with him still, both literally and figuratively, as he keeps pushing forward and exploring the world and its possibilities.
Farther Foundation is adjusting our sails as well to help students in these confining and unpredictable times. Thirty students approved for travel scholarships in 2020 were unable to participate on their programs this past summer due to the pandemic. Given that 2021 looks just as uncertain, we are converting those travel scholarships to college scholarships to honor our commitment to these dedicated students and to encourage them to strive toward their highest potential.
We are also adjusting our program for 2021 to provide support to our program alumni who are currently in school, and to assist our program partners to help high school students become more aware of their college opportunities and to be better prepared to achieve them.
Your donation today makes life-changing experiences for students like Juan possible.
Impact: Persistence
The National Student Clearinghouse collects a lot of data. One statistic they track is college persistence – a measure of how many students return for their second year of college. The NSC reports persistence across many factors including, race, type of college, starting age of the student, part- or full-time status, etc. For all students, the persistence rate is 74%, and the rate for all the various permutations of subgroups and situations runs anywhere from 40% to 90% in the very highest performing sub-group identified.
Farther Foundation students who enroll in college (99%) persist at a rate of 91.3%. Furthermore, we track whether students are persisting every year through graduation, not just returning for their second year. The experiences afforded to students through Farther Foundation are key to helping students make a successful college choice and persist through graduation. See the Impact section of our website for more information about our students.
You can make a real impact in the lives of deserving students now!
A $2,500 DONATION NOW funds one average scholarship award and is often enough to allow a student to spend three weeks on a college campus or two weeks immersed in a foreign culture serving an impoverished community.
A $1,000 DONATION NOW makes the difference in allowing a student to participate in a life-changing experience.
A $500 DONATION NOW funds domestic airfare to transport a student to and from their summer college program or the point of departure for their program abroad.
A $250 DONATION NOW helps purchase hiking boots, a sleeping bag and a backpack for a student going on a wilderness adventure.
A $100 DONATION NOW covers vaccinations or passport and visa fees to allow a student to travel abroad.
A $50 DONATION NOW helps purchase luggage for a student who has never traveled before.
A DONATION NOW IN ANY AMOUNT Invests in the life of an eager and deserving student.
All donations during our year-end appeal go entirely toward student scholarships.
Our students greatly appreciate your generous contributions and you can count on them to take full advantage of the opportunities you provide.
Please make your contribution today.
Donations by check can be mailed to: Farther Foundation 223 S. Elmwood Ave. Oak Park, IL 60302
Click here https://www.fartherscholar.org/donate, to securely donate via credit/debit card or PayPal.
Donations can be made using Venmo at “Farther Foundation”
Send donations using mobile banking apps to info@fartherfoundation.org.
To make a contribution of stock/securities or other goods or services, please contact Farther Foundation Executive Director David Weindling at 708-497-7240 or info@fartherfoundation.org.
Thank you on behalf of the students and families that we serve.
The Board of Directors, Farther Foundation
David Weindling Susan J. White Maryanne Woo
Nicky Fish Melissa Coughlin Laura Swartzbaugh
Paula Rusca Zel Peterson
Farther Foundation is a 501(C)(3) charitable organization and all contributions are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.