Firm that has served higher education for nearly 50 years launches new initiative to increase access to higher education for students from historically underrepresented populations.
October 14, 2020—RNL, the leading provider of higher education enrollment management, student success, and fundraising solutions, has launched SUPER 20, a new leadership initiative to provide educational and career development opportunities for college-bound high school sophomores/rising juniors.
SUPER 20 is open to students from groups that have been historically underrepresented in college enrollments and in key industries: racial and ethnic minorities, first-generation college students, students from underprivileged socioeconomic backgrounds, and students who plan to study in underrepresented majors. The program gives these students the resources and opportunities to find their purpose and fulfill their potential as future leaders, with educational and career resources that include:
- A four-week leadership development course in summer 2021 that will help students study different leadership styles and discover their own. The course will be half in-person, half online.
- Mentoring opportunities with successful professionals from fields such as higher education, STEM, technology, and business.
- Service and volunteer opportunities so that students can give back to their communities.
- Explorations of diversity and inclusion, from studying how organizations increase diversity to students creating their own inclusion statements.
- A $5,000 scholarship to the college of the student’s choice.
“SUPER 20 is about providing resources to students with high potential so they can find and fulfill their purpose,” said Dr. Sumit Nijhawan, president and CEO of RNL. “It is also dedicated to increasing diversity in education and industry, providing opportunities to students who are not represented enough in college enrollments or in key business sectors.”
In addition to providing financial assistance to students at a time when economic hardships have increased due to the pandemic, the program will also show students the value of a college education and how it can play a transformational role in their lives. “There is no doubt paying for a college experience has always been a challenge for this generation. More importantly, I hear about the importance of discovering what they want to do before they pay to learn how to do it,” said Chris Wood, College & Career Counselor and CAPS Solution Instructor at Cedar Falls High School in Iowa. “SUPER 20 is the ideal program starting at the perfect age to help students discover who they are and their purpose in today’s world, all while rewarding them with ways to achieve those aspirations through mentorship and scholarship.”
For the initial year, the program will be open to high school sophomores in Iowa. RNL plans to expand the program nationally in the coming years.
RNL will provide an overview of SUPER 20 during a free webinar on October 21. Learn more about the program and register for the webinar at RuffaloNL.com/SUPER20.
About RNL
RNL (Ruffalo Noel Levitz) is the leading provider of higher education enrollment, student success, and fundraising solutions. More than 1,900 colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations rely on RNL for advanced analytics, personalized engagement, and industry-leading insights to achieve their missions. The firm is focused on the entire lifecycle of enrollment and fundraising at the undergraduate and graduate levels, assuring students find the right college or university, graduate on time, secure their first job in their chosen field, and give back to support the next generation. RNL conferences, research reports, papers, and articles help clients stay on top of current trends.