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The New Way To Socialize

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By Brett Hoover

A Promise program should easily be a “golden” brand. After all, how many complaints can people have about organizations that give away money and ask little in return?

Well, nothing worth doing is ever complaint free. Some people don’t like the eligibility rules while others think the requirements to maintain a scholarship are too demanding. Some simply don’t like that private funders elect to apply their gift as an exclusively “in-state” opportunity while others just don’t think that they are getting enough free money. Continue reading →

Mortar Bored?

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During preparations for the program pages on this site, it couldn’t be ignored. Not just a recurring theme, but a ubiquitous presence on the organizational logos. The mortar board (and usually its hanging or swinging sidekick tassel) makes an appearance on half of the official Promise program logos. Other types of collegiate imagery — such as books, rolled diplomas and ribbon seals — are far behind the graduation cap.

As a service to Promise programs to follow (or those re-branding), we are soliciting alternatives to the mortar board. Maybe a bubble test, a lecture hall or an alarm clock won’t convey the excitement of graduation. And perhaps images that are sleep-, pizza- or beverage-themed won’t convey a proper message.

A framed diploma? A college identification card? Pillars? Maybe a graduation gown? A backpack with a “U” on it? Please go ahead and make a suggestion in the comments. Graphic designers will surely appreciate it.

The Ping Pong Of Promise?

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By Patricia Melton

It made so much sense at the time. As state lotteries emerged, particularly in the South, lawmakers tied educational incentives to the proceeds in an effort to change persistently low numbers of post-secondary degree attainment — and with it, the fortunes of the state’s economy.

cop-logo-georgia-hopeAnd for quite a while, it worked. More and more students performed better, thus increasing in-state enrollment. In Georgia, where Gov. Zell Miller’s HOPE Scholarship helped voters pass the state lottery into law in 1992, the percentage of college-degree holders jumped from 19 percent to 28 percent in 20 years. Continue reading →

White House Summit To Have Promise

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New Haven Promise Executive Director Patricia Melton will be participating in the White House’s College Opportunity Day of Action on Thursday with more than 300 university presidents and other leaders launching new initiatives to open university doors to more students.

“I am thrilled to get this opportunity, through our amazing partnership with Yale University and on behalf of New Haven Promise, to participate in this White House Summit and to learn and share new initiatives that came from the first Day of Action back in January,” said Melton. “When President Salovey reported that Promise received a shout out at the first Summit, it created excitement in our Promise community. Now we close out the year with a first-hand visit.” Continue reading →