Huffman Mayer Paolo Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors is announcing a combined $140,000 in gifts to support at Ashtabula’s Rising Scholars program. The initial $90,000 will go directly to Ashtabula and the program while another $50,000 will go into the Rising Scholars Fund through the Ashtabula Foundation.
““I am eternally grateful to the staff at Huffman Mayer Paolo Wealth Management Group for their leadership in support of the Rising Scholars program,” said Dean and Chief Administrative Officer Susan J. Stocker, Ph.D. “The culture that has been developed at Huffman Mayer Paolo is a model for others to follow. They are true community servant leaders.”
The Rising Scholars program supports a select group of promising students who have been identified by their school districts as having promising academic ability, but may not have access to social and educational opportunities that will allow them to reach their potential. These students are mentored by current Ashtabula students with a goal of increasing their high school graduation rates to 90 percent and having at least 50 percent of them attend a college or university after high school. Currently, 15 percent of Ashtabula County students do not graduate from high school and only 13 percent of adults over 25 have a four-year college degree.
Rising Scholars who participate in the full program, maintain a 2.5 GPA, and agree to mentor new students entering the program during their college years will be eligible to receive a scholarship for full tuition to Ashtabula.
“The Huffman Mayer Paolo Wealth Management Group is excited to see the possibilities of the Rising Scholars program,” said James E. Mayer, Jr., managing director and branch manager of Huffman Mayer Paolo. “Not only is value provided in the form of a paid Kent state education, but also the mentoring piece can have a tremendous effect on the lives of these young people. Our commitment to education and furthering our community is well represented in the Rising Scholars program. We look forward to seeing the long-term success of this effort.”
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