Towson University recognized as an American Talent Initiative High-Flier

By TOWSON UNIVERSITY on May 23, 2023

Bloomberg Philanthropies today recognized Towson University as an American Talent Initiative (ATI) High-Flier, a group of 28 high-graduation-rate institutions that are national leaders in college access and success for lower-income students. Towson University received the distinction for its high Pell share and innovative recruitment, enrollment, and retention practices. Over the next year, ATI and Bloomberg Philanthropies will work with High-Fliers to amplify what they have learned to other four-year colleges and universities across the nation. The full list of ATI’s 28 High-Fliers is listed below.

An initiative led by Bloomberg Philanthropies in partnership with Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program and Ithaka S+R, ATI serves as a growing nationwide alliance of high-graduation-rate colleges and universities grounded in the belief that they can collectively expand access for tens of thousands of high-achieving, lower-income students. By doing so, these institutions are increasing socioeconomic diversity within their respective student communities.

"The economic fallout from the pandemic has made it even more important for schools across the country to adopt innovative new ways to attract and retain students from under-represented backgrounds," said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and 108th mayor of New York City. “I applaud ATI's 28 High-Fliers for leading the way in this work and increasing the diversity of their campuses. We hope their efforts serve as an example for other schools that are committed to creating opportunity for more lower-income students, so we can accelerate national progress on this critical challenge.”

Since ATI’s launch in 2016, Towson University has maintained one of the highest Pell shares among their 137 peers.

Towson has implemented a range of initiatives to promote inclusive student success and equity on campus. These initiatives include the Students Achieve Goals through Education (SAGE) program, which is an integral part of the university's cultural diversity and student retention plan. SAGE focuses on fostering academic achievement, personal development, and campus-wide involvement among diverse incoming students. Additionally, the College Readiness Outreach Program (CROP) connects 9th graders from specific Baltimore City Public High Schools with Towson student mentors who offer a series of college readiness workshops.

“Our membership in the American Talent Initiative swells from TU's commitment to create a more diverse and inclusive campus,” said Melanie Perreault, Interim President of Towson University. “The recognition as an ATI high-flier attests to our success in helping students from lower-income backgrounds and underrepresented communities overcome disproportionate challenges they may face when seeking access to higher education.”

This progress has been particularly evident in the 18 months since Towson joined ATI and committed to the Accelerating Opportunity campaign. Along with their fellow ATI members, they set public, aspirational lower-income student enrollment goals for the first time to help combat the lingering impacts of the pandemic. Towson continues to maintain one of the highest Pell shares in the initiative and advances a shared commitment among all 137 ATI members to close equity-based retention and graduation gaps.

As a result of Towson’s leadership in ATI and the Accelerating Opportunity campaign, thousands of additional lower-income students across the United States are accessing and earning bachelor’s degrees. Data shows students like Jordan Colquitt are historically more likely to have higher wages, pursue graduate degrees, become entrepreneurs, and engage in their communities.

“As a first-generation, Pell-eligible student, I’m excited that Towson University is part of the solution in giving educational opportunity to students that might not normally have it,” said Colquitt, Towson Student Government Association President. "Our university and student body prospers the more we can diversify it, and being a member of the ATI program helps us do just that.”

For more information on ATI and Bloomberg Philanthropies’ other initiatives to expand college access and success, please visit: https://www.bloomberg.org/education/expanding-college-access-and-success/.

List of American Talent Initiative High-Fliers (in alpha order)

• Baruch College (New York, NY)
• Boston University (Boston, MA)
• Centre College (Danville, KY)
• Claremont McKenna College (Claremont, CA)
• Colby College (Waterville, ME)
• George Mason University (Fairfax, VA)
• Gettysburg College (Gettysburg, PA)
• Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago, IL)
• Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD)
• Muhlenberg College (Allentown, PA)
• Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)
• Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)
• Rowan University (Glassboro, NJ)
• State University of New York at Oneonta (Oneonta, NY)
• Stevens Institute of Technology (Hoboken, NJ)
• Stony Brook University (Stony Brook, NY)
• Towson University (Towson, MD)
• University of California, Merced (Merced, CA)
• University of California, San Diego (San Diego, CA)
• University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
• University of Dayton (Dayton, OH)
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Champaign, IL)
• University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI)
• University of Texas-Austin (Austin, TX)
• University of Wisconsin-Madison (Madison, WI)
• Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)
• Wellesley College (Wellesley, MA)
• Yale University (New Haven, CT)

About Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a pro bono consultancy that works in cities around the world. In 2022, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $1.7 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

About the American Talent Initiative
The American Talent Initiative (ATI) is a Bloomberg Philanthropies-supported collaboration between the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, Ithaka S+R, and more than 135 top colleges and universities nationwide committed to making progress toward their Accelerating Opportunity lower-income student enrollment goals by 2025. To realize this milestone, ATI facilitates research, practice-sharing, and communications campaigns around presidential leadership, access and affordability, community college transfer, student veteran engagement, and student success and equity in the academic experience. With this support, members can make measurable progress toward their aspirational lower-income student enrollment goals and minimize equity-based graduation gaps by 2025. To learn more about ATI, visit https://americantalentinitiative.org.

About Towson University
Towson University is Maryland’s university of opportunities. With more than 150 years of experience pushing possibilities, TU is a nationally recognized leader in inclusive excellence, social mobility, research and discovery. As the largest university in greater Baltimore, TU’s momentum is always accelerating, with more than 20,000 students and 100 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in the liberal arts and sciences and applied professional fields. Located amid one of the East Coast’s cultural and economic epicenters, TU is a beacon and powerful catalyst in the Mid-Atlantic, partnering with hundreds of businesses and organizations, impacting communities and fueling change. TU meets the holistic needs of each student to achieve success, a result of a deeply inclusive culture with a focus on equity among all students, faculty and staff.