On Aug. 13, Saint Mary’s College announced in a press release that it has been awarded a $1.1 million, four-year grant to continue its participation in the Kessler Scholars Collaborative. The grant was awarded by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Judy and Fred Wilpon Family Foundation. The Kessler Scholars Collaborative funds scholarships for 15 other colleges and universities nationwide.
The Kessler Scholars program aims to help first-generation and limited-income college students pursue higher education through peer mentorship focused heavily on their first year, along with a support system and different programming opportunities throughout their four years of college. Christin Kloski, the director of Saint Mary’s Office for Student Equity, contributed to the application process. Kloski said she thought that the College’s program was unique compared to other schools.
Kloski said Saint Mary’s status as a liberal arts school, an all-women’s institution, and a Catholic college set it apart and made its application more attractive.
Since its establishment in fall 2023, the program has aimed to help Kessler Scholars to become more involved with the college community. Kloski discussed Saint Mary’s recruitment process and how they collaborate with admissions for the program.
“We try to have a 70% cohort of limited-income students [and] everyone identifies as first-gen. What makes Saint Mary’s unique is that we recruit from the state of Indiana. We encourage students to stay on campus all four years so they can get involved as much as they want while they’re here on campus,” Kloski said.
Donna Taylor-Schuman, assistant director of student equity and first-gen programs, is the program director and works with Kloski in reviewing applications for the incoming cohort. They accept approximately 20 to 25 students each year.
She also discussed the financial benefits of being a Kessler Scholar, including a $3,500 annual scholarship. Students in Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars, a program for Indiana residents that meet income eligibility, are able to receive full tuition grants.
The Kessler Scholars program also includes returning students as peer mentors who provide yearlong guidance to freshman students. Each year, there are typically 10 mentors across the sophomore and junior classes, along with two senior mentors.
“The senior mentors are the ones who guide our peer mentors just to connect with them,” Kloski said. “For our peer mentors, they’re here for the whole year, so they serve as those mentors throughout the academic year for our first year students, guiding them, assisting them, whatever it might be. As the first week happens on campus, during orientation, they get them acclimated to campus and then throughout the academic year they have monthly check-ins with their Kessler Scholars and encourage them to go to programming as well.”
Kessler Scholars participate in a three-day pre-orientation session and receive academic and career preparation throughout the year along with social opportunities. Typical events include the mandatory coin ceremony for freshmen, along with optional activities such as friendsgiving, a holiday craft showdown, end-of-year celebration and other events planned by the Office for Student Equity.
Kloski said that throughout the program, students often engage with high-impact practices, experiences and skills that promote student engagement and deep learning. In an email, Kloski wrote that 95% of respondents mentioned being interested in or completing activities outside of classwork, such as volunteering, research or study abroad.
According to Kloski, 95% of respondents in 2025 indicated that their time in the program was “good” or “excellent,” an increase from the previous year.
