The College Success Initiative (CSI) is comprised of City, non-profit and higher education partners. It serves Cambridge students and families who are underrepresented in higher education, including immigrant students, first-generation college students, and students from households with low incomes. CSI is designed to support students in completing a post-secondary degree within 6 years and to coordinate a community of partners committed to the persistence of Cambridge students.
Students are referred to CSI through Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS), the Community Learning Center’s Bridge to College Program, and Just-A-Start’s YouthBuild program.
CSI connects students to:
- College access programs operated by community-based agencies, connected to one another through the CSI network.
- City, publicly-funded, and local non-profit programs - that provide housing resources, employment resources, and more - to help remove non-academic barriers to their success.
- Guidance for navigating institutional systems and appropriate academic support contacts in collaboration with CSI’s higher education and community partners.
- College Success Coaches who support students enrolled at Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) and UMass Boston (UMB), the two higher education institutions that receive the highest amount of CRLS graduates. College Success Coaches:
- Help students navigate the stresses of the transition to college.
- Connect students with institutional resources, including financial aid assistance, social activities, and academic advising.
- Provide both academic and non-academic support, referring students to community resources, including the MBTA Youth Pass Program, SNAP benefits, tax filing assistance, housing resources, and more.
CSI Student Resources
Celebrating a Decade of CSI
In honor of the College Success Initiative's 10th anniversary, we’re reflecting on the Initiative’s impact on more than 360 Cambridge residents’ college and career pathways over the past decade.
"At the College Success Initiative, we are focused on persistence,” says Tawanya Garrett, Director of CSI. “Many CSI students are balancing jobs and family commitments in addition to their courseloads. Sometimes they need to drop a class or take a semester off to focus on other priorities. We are committed to supporting our students until they earn their degree."
Read MoreCambridge Promise
The Cambridge Promise Pilot allows eligible students enrolled at Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) and supported by CSI to receive a “last dollar plus scholarship,” which includes free tuition and fees for the 2023-2024 academic year. In addition to the free tuition and fees, the program will also pay for school-related expenses not covered by a student’s Pell Grant and outside scholarships, and provide an additional $250 each semester.
Learn More