College Scholarship Leadership Access Program

To serve the Rio Grande Valley community through college access projects.
To support a generation of high school students committed to attending and graduating from college.
To create strong connections and partnerships between CSLAP, school districts, community members, parents, and youth.
To increase college enrollment and graduation rates in the Rio Grande Valley.
To recruit knowledgeable and qualified mentors to empower high school students.
To create long-lasting relationships between mentors and students.

CSLAP's primary strategy to increase college enrollment and graduation rates in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) is to develop mentor relationships between college students and high school seniors. Near-peer mentorship enables alumni from local high schools to reconnect with their communities by providing social and cultural capital to students who often lack mentors because of their first-generation college student and/or low-income status. Students have access to a mentor network of over 100 RGV alumni who offer mentorship on college transition and professional development.

To develop these relationships, mentors host college access workshops and seminars at local high schools. Partner school districts are assigned a mentor per campus and, depending on the event, more than one mentor can teach students. These events range from college essay workshops to ACT test preparation to financial literacy seminars. In addition to receiving help on the college and scholarship application process, students develop leadership and professional skills through consistent interactions with a near-peer mentor.

CSLAP aims to reduce the phenomenon of brain drain in the RGV by encouraging area alumni to return to their school districts and give back to underserved students. CSLAP becomes the medium through which college students and graduates can make an meaningful impact in K-12 education as they begin their professional careers. Alumni who live outside the RGV can still provide mentorship services through online seminars or Skype calls.

From 2013-2017, CSLAP operated primarily as a summer institute at Pharr-San Juan-Alamo (PSJA) ISD that reached over 120 students. These formative years enabled the organization's mentor network to grow organically; the classes of 2014 and 2015 are now young professionals who seek to give back to their communities through quality mentorship and services. From 2016-2017, CSLAP's curriculum was expanded into a year-round course at PSJA ISD entitled "University Scholars Enrichment Course." It was taught by CSLAP founder Thomas Ray Garcia, who embedded the summer institutes' events with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). In doing so, he created three curricula for 9th/10th, 11th, and 12th graders. These lesson plans have formed the foundation for CSLAP's operating as a nonprofit organization.

During the hiring process, mentors receive extensive and ongoing training in CSLAP's core tenants: college, scholarship, and leadership. Mentors, who have experienced the same college application process as the students they service, also offer their personal experiences transitioning to college.

From 2013-2017, over 120 students attended sessions at CSLAP's summer institutes at Pharr-San Juan-Alamo (PSJA) ISD. 99% of these students enrolled in a 2- or 4-year college. Each of these students from the classes of 2014 and 2015 have graduated from college as of early 2020. During this period, CSLAP offered one-on-one mentorship on applying to competitive out-of-state universities; 15 students were accepted to out-of-state universities including Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, Stanford University, and Norwich University. CSLAP also mentored students extensively on national scholarships, offering intensive essay and application review which produced 2 Gates Millennium Scholars, 1 Jack Kent Cooke Scholar, and 1 Dell Scholar. Students also received help on completing their FAFSAs and applying to university-based scholarships.

From 2016-2017, CSLAP became a year-round course at PSJA ISD entitled "University Scholars Enrichment Course."

When CSLAP incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2019, the operating model changed to placing mentors in partner school districts. In doing so, the organization's reach has expanded to 120 students within a single academic year. As of early 2020, these students have received over 120 hours of services ranging from essay workshops to ACT test preparation.