UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — This summer, selected students at Penn State’s Altoona and York campuses will have the opportunity to get a head start on their first or second years of college by taking summer classes through the Pathway to Success: Summer Start (PaSSS) pilot program.
Now in its second year, PaSSS is offered at nine Penn State campuses and is an important element in Penn State President Eric Barron’s program, known as Plan4, aimed at increasing retention and graduation; decreasing the total cost of a degree; decreasing the rate of borrowing and decreasing attrition due to the need for additional money to attend.
PaSSS supports students with unmet financial need by providing a scholarship, a $400 book stipend, mentoring, social activities and on-campus employment. First-year students receive a $1,500 scholarship and take six credits during the summer. Returning students receive a $3,000 scholarship to take from 6-12 credits during the summer, and they may also serve as peer mentors to first-time students.