Emerging Scholars

Since 2002, The Emerging Scholars Program has made higher education a reality for students who have not seen college in their future. The mission of the Emerging Scholars Program at Clemson University is to enhance South Carolina’s economic prosperity by increasing the number of college graduates that come from economically disadvantaged areas and first generation families.

Students are taught that knowing the basics in reading, writing and math are the most important factors in high school and college completion. These skills are emphasized throughout their participation in the program, along with more information on the basics of applying to any college or university. Even though the students attend summer sessions on the campus of Clemson University, the goal of college attendance is not limited to Clemson. The students are encouraged to apply and attend any college of their choice with an emphasis on schools in the state of South Carolina. All of this is done through two different components: the summer experience and the academic year activities.

The Emerging Scholars Program targets students in six different high schools, five in the low country and one in the upstate. According to the US Census Bureau, the average poverty rate for the five low country high schools is 25.6%, meaning 1 in 4 people are in poverty (income of $18,392 or less). This has huge implications for college attendance in these areas. According to Postsecondary Education Opportunity, college participation rates in families that make less than $36,539 is only 40.2%. This is compared to a 71.1% college participation rate in families with income higher than $64,109. This coupled with below average SAT scores makes it even harder for these students to find success in college.