OCTAVIUS CATTO SCHOLARSHIP

Learn more: ccp.edu/catto

Why is it important for the City to invest in this type of program? 

The Octavius Catto Scholarship will make the transformative power of education accessible to graduates of a high school in Philadelphia as well as those residents who have earned a comparable credential. Combining last-dollar funding with special wrap-around support services, the program will address obstacles like tuition and fees as well as burdens that hit many Philadelphians — especially those living in poverty — particularly hard, including costs associated with books, food, and transportation. In addition, the City will work with CCP to better connect students to benefits access, quality childcare, and housing supports. 

What will the Catto Scholarship Include?

Eligible (see below for details) new, first-time students who are enrolled full-time are eligible to receive: 

• Funding to cover the remainder of their tuition and fees after federal and state funding and other aid are applied. Funding is available to those students for up to three years at Community College of Philadelphia. 

• $1,500 to meet needs for food, transportation and books. 

• Support from a team of academic advisors, coaches, navigators and other staff who are dedicated to making sure that students meet their goals and stay on track.

• Connection to City services such as benefits access, quality childcare, and housing supports. 

Who is eligible for the Catto Scholarship?

The Catto Scholarship draws from national best practices, especially New York City’s CUNY model called Accelerated Study in Associates Programs or CUNY ASAP. The students who benefit the most from such programs are incoming full-time students without any college experience. 

Starting in the Spring 2021 Semester, new, full time CCP students who meet the eligibility criteria  below will be eligible for all supports of the Catto  Scholarship (last-dollar tuition, basic needs support,  enhanced academic and career coaching, and  enhanced connection to services). 

Are current and part time CCP students eligible to be Catto Scholars?

You must be a first-time to college, full-time student beginning in Spring 2021 to qualify to be a Catto Scholar. CCP has other scholarships and resources available to support current and part-time students in their academic journey.

What must all students do to maintain eligibility as Catto Scholars?

Students must maintain full-time enrollment (at least 12 credits per semester) and maintain a 2.0 GPA at the end of each year. They must also complete annual FAFSA* documentation. As they proceed through CCP, students must continue to meet milestones of credit attainment (20 credits in year one; 42 by the end of year two) and maintain Philadelphia residency. 

What does the Catto Scholarship cost the City?

Over the next five years, the City projects that $47.4M will be spent on the Catto Scholarship, beginning with $4.8M in FY21. In addition to the City’s investment in the Catto Scholarship, the City is also investing an additional $16.3M over the next five years in CCP to support additional operating needs. These investments both in the Catto Scholarship and in CCP  more globally are in addition to the City’s existing  $36.1M annual contribution to CCP, bringing the City’s  total investment in CCP up to about $244M over the  Five Year Plan. The City’s investment in CCP in FY21 marks a 22% increase from FY20.

How many students will receive the Catto Scholarship? 

Over the five years of the scholarship, the City expects nearly 4,500 students to benefit. This is  about 1,000 students per year with FY21 serving  about 500 students in Spring 2021.

What challenges do Community College of Philadelphia students overcome to reach graduation?

Community College of Philadelphia students face unique and systemic challenges that may prevent them from reaching their educational goals. Those 

issues include challenges to their financial security; childcare; transportation; housing security; and food security.

• The 2019 #RealCollege Survey and Report indicated that 70 percent of community college student respondents had experienced food insecurity, housing insecurity, or homelessness in the previous year, and 39 percent reported having been both food and housing insecure in the previous year.

• Since CCP’s Single Stop program was launched, thousands of students have received services, with an average of 3,050 students served each year for the past six years. Some of the most common services have been financial education, public benefit applications, tax prep and filings, and legal consultations.

What demographic of students will benefit from this initiative (as of Spring 2021)?

At Community College of Philadelphia, the student population mirrors the city population in many ways.  Approximately 72 percent are people of color, including but not limited to: 43 percent who identify as Black/African American, 15 percent who identify as Latinx or Hispanic, and 9 percent who identify as Asian or Pacific Islanders. Approximately 70 percent of CCP’s students are eligible for Federal Pell grant funding.

How does this investment in community college relate to the Mayor’s poverty agenda?

Mayor Kenney believes that to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty we must invest and do more to provide quality education for all, from Pre-K to K-12 to College. The data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is clear that education is a clear predictor of poverty. Nationally, in 2017, the poverty rate for working people with a high school diploma was 6.2 percent, almost twice as high as working people with an associates’ degree (3.2 percent), and over four times higher than working people with a bachelor’s degree (1.5 percent). This relationship between education and poverty is consistent for Black, Hispanic, and White students alike. As we look to recover from this unprecedented economic plummet, we need to ensure that we are equitably ensuring that all Philadelphians have the educational opportunities to secure quality jobs.

How important is post-secondary education in 2020?

Community College of Philadelphia students are united by an understanding that a postsecondary credential is essential to their future success. A certificate or associate degree can change the course of their lives and have a generational impact on their income. The post-Covid-19 economy is projecting a faster pace of automation and need for workforce upskilling and having a post-secondary credential will be essential for Philadelphians to thrive. Research conducted at Georgetown University indicates that an associate degree holder earns $1.7 million over a lifetime, higher than a high school graduate. The Octavius Catto Scholarship is an economic recovery strategy that ensures more equitable access to postsecondary degree programs, which are critical to lifting families out of poverty.