Kids College program

Indiana University is creating a new program that will help middle school students in Indiana prepare for the future through simulated college experiences that will take place on IU campuses throughout the state.

Kids College is being funded by a $899,541 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its initiative, Indiana Youth Programs on Campus. The initiative is designed to help Indiana colleges and universities to engage youth, ages 5 to 18, in high-quality on-campus enrichment programs that can help young people envision a future for themselves in college.

Kids College is designed to engage 75 to 100 rising sixth, seventh and eighth graders to on campus experiences focused on different themes and disciplines. The first event will take place in summer 2023 on the IU Northwest campus. IU plans to expand to three additional campuses in the following two years.

The program will empower students, particularly those from historically underrepresented and low-income populations, to prepare for their future in higher education. A critical component of Kids College will be to connect these students and their families to the 21^st Century Scholars Program. The state program provides up to four years of undergraduate tuitionto income-eligible students at participating colleges or universities in Indiana and support to help students finish their degrees.

"The Indiana Youth Programs on Campus grant is a fantastic investment by Lilly Endowment that will expand firsthand opportunities for Hoosier students to explore future career and college opportunities," said Mike Beam, assistant vice president for school partnerships, and senior assistant vice provost for undergraduate education. "The Kids College model connects middle school students and community partners with IU faculty and campus resources, allowing participants to learn about a variety of career fields and topics, and also preparing participants to take advantage of and complete 21^st Century Scholars Program requirements."

IU faculty and staff, in partnership with community members, will design courses featuring different themes and disciplines for Kids College.

Participants will also take part in Middle School Crew, a summer camp and curriculum that prepares eligible students to complete the 21st Century Scholars program application and to fulfill the program’s requirements in middle and high schools. According to the Indiana 21st Century Scholars Program, approximately 50 percent of income-eligible students who have access to the scholarship funds do not register to receive the aid available to them.

Middle School Crew was started under the leadership of Yolanda Trevino, assistant vice president for student success during her time as assistant vice president for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs. The program's goal is to ensure that 100 percent of Kids College participants who are eligible for the 21^stCentury Scholarship complete the application on time and take advantage of the additional programs throughout their primary and secondary school careers.

Lilly Endowment launched the Indiana Youth Programs on Campus initiative, in part, to respond to the significant decrease in the number of Hoosiers pursuing higher education degrees. In 2015, 65 percent of Indiana high school graduates were going straight to college though the college going rate has dropped steadily since. In 2020, only 53 percent of Hoosiers attended college the year after high school. Goals for the initiative include increasing the number of Indiana Youth who obtain valuable postsecondary degrees and credentials and to help schools strengthen how they recruit students, especially students who have been traditionally underserved by higher education systems.

For more information, contact Ellen J. Szarleta, director of the Center for Urban and Regional Excellence and professor at Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, at eszarlet@iun.edu.