Western Michigan University and the Kalamazoo Promise have partnered to develop a WMU-based program for currently enrolled and prospective students eligible for the Kalamazoo Promise.
Mission
The mission of our program is to increase retention and graduation rates for Kalamazoo Promise recipients who attend Western Michigan University by providing direct support from campus coaches, university departments and community resources, including parents, Kalamazoo Public School staff and business partners.
Vision
Western Michigan University will be the favored institution for parents and students who receive the Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship. The Kalamazoo Promise Scholars Program will provide knowledge, awareness and skills for students to succeed in college, careers and the community.
Guiding Principles
Support Kalamazoo Promise Students
The Kalamazoo Promise Scholars Program at Western Michigan University, through regularly-scheduled meetings with professional staff and academy peer leaders, will introduce students to an environment that promotes strong academic achievement and leadership opportunities as well as to encourage participation in events that advance diversity on and off campus.
Regardless of a student's choice of higher education institution, we wish to see all students succeed. For this reason, our pre-college programs and events are intended to serve all Kalamazoo Public School students. We feel that these programs help to provide a valuable foundation for any student heading off to college.
Outreach to the community
The program seeks to connect with and support current WMU students who are Kalamazoo Promise recipients, but also to connect with students, parents, teachers and other community members in the district through events, campus visits and special projects. The purpose is to create a collaborative network of support to allow for effective dissemination of information about resources, the promotion of interdisciplinary collaborative projects and most importantly, the increase of access
Access to resources
The Kalamazoo Promise Scholars Program also seeks to increase access to resources available to students and parents at the University and in the community. This may mean increasing access to knowledge, services or support programs.
Recruitment, retention, graduation and transition
Western Michigan University is the only institution of higher education to have a dedicated program supporting prospective and currently enrolled Kalamazoo Promise college students. Our goal is to support students as they transition to college life to sustain professional and academic excellence while they are here, and providing them with the skills for continued success following graduation. For this reason, we encourage students to seriously consider attending WMU.