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With an eye on student retention, the Presidential Scholarship Initiative provides academic as well as financial support to students.
Of the initial group of 50 who enrolled in August 2009, five graduated early, 23 were due to graduate in either May or December 2013, and 10 were on pace to graduate in May or December 2014, according to Virginia Tech Associate Vice President for Student Success Karen Eley Sanders.By comparison, as of 2010, fewer than one-third of students at public four-year universities in the U.S. had graduated within four years, according to statistics compiled by the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Summer 2013
PHILANTHROPY
Four years ago, Reco Charity (finance '13) arrived in Blacksburg not knowing a single person.
Now the new graduate—armed with a finance degree and a minor in political science, leadership experience in multiple organizations, and strong relationships with peers and professors—has been admitted to Howard University School of Law.
A native of Richmond, Va., Charity is the first person in his family to graduate from college. Despite his family's financial difficulties, his mother had encouraged him to prepare for college. As a recipient of financial aid from the university's Presidential Scholarship Initiative (PSI), Charity received a full ride to Virginia Tech.
"The PSI took so much stress off my shoulders," said Charity. "It gave me the opportunity to explore a different field, and I really have to recognize that it's the reason I can go to law school. If I had a lot of debt, it would be impossible."
PSI was created in 2008 to reward and assist academically talented high school students from low-income Virginia families, with preference given to first-generation college attendees. Scholarships from the initiative are awarded each year to as many as 50 students who, like Charity, have demonstrated persistence and a commitment to academic excellence despite adverse life situations.
"I knew he would accomplish a lot since he was 6 years old and he told me he was going to be the first black president," said Charity's mother, Sabrina. "I told him he'd be the best president, and since then he's always tried to be the best at everything."
Along with taking demanding classes, Charity learned how to manage his time and lead his peers. He credits his experiences in Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and the National Pan-Hellenic Council with allowing him to meet a diverse range of people. He was vice president of both organizations during his senior year.
"The best learning experience is one where there is a compilation of people from different backgrounds and cultures," Charity said. "If we all know the same things and experience all the same things in life, how could we possibly learn from one another?"
Charity said he learned not only from his peers and professors, but also learned about himself. One of his philosophies is to never give up—an attitude that was put to the test when he wasn't admitted to a law school that he had repeatedly visited to sit in on classes and network with administrators. "Everyone fails at some point," Charity said. "It's the courage to keep going after you fail that really distinguishes people."
Along with being self-motivated, Charity is also inspired by his younger sister, Destinee. Charity said one reason he's never considered giving up on his educational objectives is because he wants to set an example for her.
Destinee will start high school this fall, and her older brother has already helped her map out an academic experience that will prepare her for college. "All the things I've learned since I've been in college, I take back to her," Charity said. "She knows so much more than I did at her age."
The most important lesson he believes he has shared with his sister is his definition of success. "I told her that it's not about the monetary things, like building a big house or buying a nice car," he said. "Your success is what you to do help those who come behind you."
Charity hopes to excel in constitutional law and to one day run a business. If his Virginia Tech experience is any indication, his success will continue.
Produced by University Relations