Rowan County Crosby Scholars

SALISBURY — Rowan County Crosby Scholars is now enrolling students in grades sixth through 10th.

Crosby Scholars is a free college access program available to public middle and high school students in Rowan County. The program’s goal is to assist students academically, personally and financially with their educational plans beyond high school.

“We believe that each student in Rowan County has the ability to succeed,” Jessica Vess, executive director, said. “Through participation in our programs and services in middle school and high school, students are empowered to make their dreams of college a reality.”

Students who join in middle school benefit from the program’s focus on character development and academic skill building. They have the opportunity to take part in local college tours, academy workshops and career exploration experiences.

In high school, Crosby Scholars provides knowledge on how to become competitive college applicants and helps discover the educational opportunities best suited for each student after high school graduation. Seniors in the program are provided a trained, one-on-one college advisor who coaches and assists them throughout admissions and financial aid deadlines.

Since its inception in 2013, Rowan County Crosby Scholars has enrolled over 5,400 students who have performed over 58,000 hours of community service. So far, 500 seniors have graduated across the county as Crosby Scholars. They are attending colleges as far away as NYU and as close as Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

Through the generosity of community partners, Crosby Scholars has awarded nearly $60,000 in scholarships and over $250,000 in Last Dollar Grants (given to qualifying students with unmet financial need).

Sign-up is open now through Oct. 1. Register at crosbyscholarsrowan.org or call the Crosby Scholars office at 704-762-3512 for more information.