While many think of Our Time Has Come (OTHC) in terms of student scholarships, the program has expanded in recent years to provide students with far more than just financial support. While OTHC scholarships help students pay for their college degrees, recipients often cite other aspects of the program as equally beneficial—professional development training, networking with alumni professionals and being part of a motivated community of fellow scholars.
In an effort to reach more students, the Office of Multicultural Advancement is expanding the OTHC program beyond scholarship recipients through the new OTHC Leaders program. “OTHC Leaders will offer many of the programmatic aspects of OTHC without the scholarship support and personal mentoring,” says Maria J. Lopez ’05, G’12, assistant director of scholarship programs in the Office of Multicultural Advancement. “OTHC Leaders will participate in monthly leadership development programs and receive invitations to corporate immersion opportunities and campus events, such as Coming Back Together reunion activities.”
The impetus for the new program is to provide leadership development opportunities to more students. “Our scholarship dollars are limited,” says Lopez. “Through OTHC Leaders, we can include students who don’t qualify for scholarship support because of family income or those who already receive full financial aid.”
Like the scholarship program, participants in the leadership program are selected through an application process, which considers GPA, extracurriculars, recommendations and an essay about responsible leadership. The first cohort of students will be selected this spring. “Once a student is selected, they can remain in the program until they graduate,” says Lopez.
“Our goal is to prepare students for future careers through leadership seminars, alumni engagement, corporate immersion and a community of supportive peers,” she says.
Applications for the OTHC Leaders program are being accepted through January 31, 2022.