Pittsburgh Promise gives 10,000th scholarship

Vanessa Thompson remembers feeling stunned as she sat with her mother when they received that first college tuition bill in the fall of 2008.

Thompson was attending Chatham University, the first in her family to go to college.

“We’re both crying like ‘how are we going to pay this bill?’” said Thompson, 29, Lincoln-Larimer. Fortunately, that year Thompson had become one of the first recipients of the brand new Pittsburgh Promise Scholarship.

“Once the finances went through, it made a big difference and I was able to live on campus and have the whole experience,” said Thompson.

A dozen years have passed and the Pittsburgh Promise has now reached a significant milestone of 10,000 students who have received scholarships with $150 million invested in their education, according to figures released by the Promise program.

The Pittsburgh Promise has now provided scholarships to 10,033 students since 2008.

“We are overjoyed to hit this milestone,” said executive director Saleem Ghubril. “Education is a fundamental component of a movement to create equity for all in the Pittsburgh region, and an essential driver of a sustainable and thriving regional economy. By providing students with a pathway to their dreams, our entire region shares in their successes.”

Pittsburgh Promise scholarships have largely been funded through foundation and corporate contributions. They provide students with up to $5,000 per year, with a maximum of $20,000 total.

The scholarships are available to all students who graduate from Pittsburgh Public Schools or charter high schools with a 2.5 GPA and a 90% attendance rate. They can be used to attend any accredited college, university, trade, or technical school in Pennsylvania.

Thompson, who graduated from Westinghouse High School, said she never really thought about college because it didn’t seem possible.

However, she graduated from Chatham with a degree in psychology and is now manager of institutional giving for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. Thompson is also a Pittsburgh Promise board member.

“It feels like a dream come true to put it in a corny but honest way,” Thompson said. “I remember learning about this scholarship at 17 and now I’m getting ready to turn 30 and I’m able to go full circle and give back to my community. It makes a difference for sure. It feels good.”