With expanded partnerships and a new scholarship model, Brown’s Pre-College Programs have steadily grown local enrollment, providing more Rhode Island high schoolers the chance to explore academic and campus life.
Providence student Helen Mercado Castro (left), a rising junior at the Village Green Virtual Charter School, attended Pre-College on a full scholarship through a partnership with A Leadership Journey, a Providence nonprofit. Photo by Lynda Curtis.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Each summer, Brown’s campus bustles with thousands of high school students eager to explore college life through the University’s Pre-College Programs. While students come from across the globe, participation from local students has surged for a second consecutive year. This year, close to 170 students from the Providence Public School District are enrolled — a jump of more than 20%, or roughly 30 more students than last year, marking the highest number of PPSD attendees in the program’s history.
Joi-Danelle Whitehead, assistant dean for equity initiatives and university K-12 engagement, said the growth continues a two-year trend ignited by a new financial aid model introduced in 2023, which provides full scholarships to every PPSD student admitted to a Pre-College Program. The scholarships cover all direct expenses including courses, housing, meals and fees. While Brown’s Pre-College need-based scholarship for district students, established in 2016, steadily increased student enrollment, the full scholarship model stands out as the most effective engagement strategy implemented to date, she said.
“The growth in PPSD student enrollment, year after year, is a clear testament to the impact of the new scholarship model and our continued collaboration with PPSD’s strategic partnerships and school counseling offices, school-based counselors, teachers and administrators,” Whitehead said. “By fully funding every admitted PPSD student and working with our district colleagues to promote the opportunity to students and families, we’ve increased student exposure to college-level academics and experiences that will strengthen their college-going identity and preparation for college.”
Each summer, thousands of high school students study on campus and around the globe in Brown’s Pre-College Programs, which offer intensive academics, cultural immersion, research experiences and more.
One of the largest summer opportunities of its kind, Brown’s Pre-College Programs welcome more than 6,000 high schoolers each year. Students select from 11 programs where they study at a first-year college level on campus, at domestic and international sites, in-person and online. Programs introduce opportunities and responsibilities that come with balancing demanding academics and robust outside-of-the-classroom experiences. An array of options, ranging from one to six weeks, offer courses such as: “Stranger than Fiction: Debunking Popular Myths in Psychology,” “Factory to Faucet: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry,” “Antibiotic Drug Discovery: Identifying Novel Soil Microbes to Combat Resistance,” and “Race, Justice and American Democracy.”
Local students are integral to the Pre-College community, contributing a vital perspective to the program, said Adrienne Marcus, dean of the Division for Pre-College and Undergraduate Programs. “Having a mix of local, non-local domestic and international students is really meaningful for everybody on campus,” Marcus said. “It means that the diversity of experiences and perspectives is that much broader, and that helps everybody learn more about themselves, the world and each other.”
Providence teenager Destiny Gonzalez said she once hesitated to apply to Brown’s Pre-College Programs due to what she perceived as cost and socioeconomic barriers.
“A big hurdle that PPSD students like me often face is the feeling of not belonging at a place like Brown,” she said. “Many of us from Providence don’t have much money or are constantly trying to make ends meet. When summer comes, we see kids from out of state or even other countries who we assume come from wealthier backgrounds, and that creates a stigma that we don’t belong.”
Encouraged by the new scholarships and supported through the application process by her teachers, the 17-year-old, who will start her senior year at Hope High School this fall, applied for the Pre-College Program for the first time this year. Her love of history drew her to a three-week course, “The Quest for Immortality in the Ancient World.” After spending a few weeks on campus, Gonzalez said she feels differently about attending a university like Brown.
“Once you’re here in the Pre-College Program, you realize there are so many people just like you and I feel like I’ve made some lifelong friends,” Gonzalez said. “If we can break that stigma and show PPSD students that they belong here, we can change how local kids see opportunities like these.”
Among this year’s PPSD cohort, 155 students attended programs on Brown’s campus. Photos by Rob Ranney.
Providence student Marcus Barakzai is among three PPSD students who enrolled in the pre-college course, “Drawing Intensive," where participants develop drawing skills, covering observational, imaginative, and abstract drawing techniques.
Pre-College partners with PPSD and more than a dozen other Rhode Island schools and community organizations to reach students across the state.
This year, an additional three dozen Rhode Island students enrolled in Pre-College Programs thanks to collaborations with local schools and organizations.
Beginning next year, Brown’s Pre-College Programs will allocate a limited number of full scholarships to students from Pawtucket’s public schools.
According to Whitehead, applications increased from several PPSD schools this year, including E-Cubed Academy and Central High School. Overall, the district saw an 11% rise in applications compared to last year. Among this year’s PPSD cohort, 155 students attended programs on Brown’s campus, while six enrolled in online courses and seven students took part in programs held internationally.
While providing valuable learning experiences for Providence students remains central to the University’s community engagement efforts, Whitehead noted that Pre-College also partners with more than a dozen other Rhode Island schools and community organizations to reach more students across the state. This year, an additional three dozen Rhode Island students enrolled in Pre-College Programs thanks to collaborations with the Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center, Achievement First High School, the Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College Charter School, Blackstone Academy Charter School, Trinity Academy for Performing Arts, and the Tomaquag Museum, among other local organizations.
Providence student Helen Mercado Castro, a rising junior at the Village Green Virtual Charter School, attended Pre-College on a full scholarship through a partnership with A Leadership Journey, a Providence nonprofit. Brown allocates a limited number of full scholarships to each partner school or organization and relies on them to nominate students for the scholarship spots.
Eager to translate her travel experiences into academic exploration, Mercado Castro enrolled in the Pre-College course, “Race, War and Medicine: A Modern History.” She described her two weeks on campus as a valuable learning opportunity that equipped her with both academic and practical skills for college.
“I’ve learned so much, from balancing homework with extracurricular activities to navigating campus life,” Mercado Castro said. “Now, when I start college, I’ll be much more prepared. I know how to get around a campus, understand the dorm system and even manage daily routines like breakfast.”
For more than a decade, Brown’s Pre-College Programs have also welcomed students from Sophia Academy, a tuition-free independent middle school serving girls from low-income families in Providence. Assistant Head of School Melissa Moniz said Brown’s summer programs, including STEM for Rising Ninth and 10th graders, build upon Sophia Academy’s curriculum and allow their rising ninth graders to explore potential career interests further.
“At Sophia, we offer a variety of programs that give our students a taste of different fields, whether it’s biology, engineering or art,” Moniz said. “Brown’s Pre-College Programs allow them to dive deeper into a subject they might be passionate about. Plus, they gain access to fantastic facilities, interact with amazing mentors and connect with other young minds who share their interests. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved: the students, their families and Brown itself, as Brown gets to work with motivated young people who may become future leaders in these fields.”
Beginning next year, Brown’s Pre-College Programs will allocate a limited number of full scholarships to students from Pawtucket’s public schools. Whitehead hopes to continue expanding partnerships with additional school districts over the next few years.
“To build on our success with our local partners, we’re excited to partner with the Pawtucket School Department and award a limited number of full scholarships to Pawtucket students beginning next year,” Whitehead said. “We’re also exploring ways to expand further, with a goal of reaching additional underserved communities within Rhode Island’s urban core.”
While increasing access to Pre-College Programs is just one way the University is providing impactful learning experiences for local students, Providence’s Demi Egunjobi, a recent Classical High School graduate who enrolled in Pre-College the last two summers, believes the new scholarships are forging a clear pathway between local public schools and Brown. The 18-year-old plans to study philosophy, politics and economics at the University of Pennsylvania this fall and credits her time at Brown for helping her cement her academic interests.
“The Pre-College Programs at Brown create a world of opportunity that can feel so distant or out of reach for many local students,” she said. “It’s like, ‘Hey, I can apply, and if I get in, the scholarship opens the door.’ It makes Brown less intimidating and much more accessible.”
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