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Blaine McCurdy joined ������’s Rising Scholars program in sixth grade after learning about the program and its opportunities for a college education in Columbiana County where he lives. Blaine, who is a first-generation college student, is now in his junior year at ������ at Salem studying psychology.

The Rising Scholars Program, one on each ������ campus, combines mentoring with assistance from local communities and businesses to provide support for young adults beginning in seventh grade. The program allows them to maximize their all-important high school years and focus on making well-informed career choices after graduation. “My family, specifically my mother, was very excited about the tuition support that I would receive after I completed the program,” said Blaine.

������ students who have similar experiences regarding family life or socioeconomic challenges serve as mentors to guide these promising middle and high school students through difficult personal and academic situations. When students commit to the program, a free college education awaits them at a ������ regional campus. They will also become the next generation of mentors who “pay back” their community for this generous support.

As a Rising Scholars participant, Blaine expanded his ideas about what was possible. “Being able to interact with students from all over the county and hear their experiences helped me understand what some other areas are like,” he said. Blaine’s favorite part about being a scholar was traveling to different places as part of workshop experiences. “I liked learning about the Kent Campus, the conservation efforts at Beaver Creek and about how dairy farms work,” he said. “These are things I never would have learned about if I wasn’t part of Rising Scholars.”

I want to work with the Rising Scholars Program for as long as I can because it has helped me become the person I am today.

“It has been a pleasure to see Blaine develop his leadership skills, and his understanding of the scholar experience makes him an excellent mentor,” said Jessica Paull, Ph.D., program coordinator of the Columbiana County Rising Scholars Program. “Blaine has also taken on the position of graduate mentor, providing outreach to fellow scholars who have graduated from the program and offering support and resources. Blaine is an asset to our program, and I know his future is bright.”

Having a mentor who supported him throughout middle and high school helped Blaine during those critical years. He graduated from Crestview High School in 2020 and is fulfilling the “pay it forward” concept that is a hallmark of Rising Scholars by now serving as a mentor to younger students in the program. “Being a mentor is a humbling experience, and I try to be the best mentor for each of my scholars,” Blaine said. “They all need something different from me, and I do my best to give them what they need.” Blaine enjoys being on the “flipside” of the program as a mentor and creating activities and workshops for scholars. “It’s great to see our scholars enjoy themselves and know that I had a hand in that,” he said.

Working as a Rising Scholars mentor while in college provides income and a flexible schedule that works around mentors’ classes. “In some cases, being employed as a mentor is the only way students are able to have income for expenses other than tuition while attending college,” Blaine said.

“I want to work with the Rising Scholars Program for as long as I can because it has helped me become the person I am today. This program is how I found my love of psychology and helped me choose my major,” Blaine said. “I just want to do what I can to help this program be a positive experience for anyone who is a part of it.”

Learn more about the Rising Scholars Program at www.kent.edu/supportrisingscholars