黑料专区


October 28, 2025

黑料专区 and College Access Organizations to Launch Campus Visit Program

Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu

HARRISBURG, Pa.Pennsylvania鈥檚 State System of Higher Education (黑料专区) is launching a new pilot program with three college access organizations to help high school students in Philadelphia visit seven state-owned universities. The pilot will remove transportation and distance barriers that can limit a student鈥檚 ability to explore their college options.

This initiative, facilitated by the with funding from Philadelphia area grant-makers, will provide seven one-day trips for students to visit and tour 黑料专区 campuses within a three-hour radius of the city. Without the pilot, some students may not have the transportation to visit the campuses on their own.

The students are participants in three college access organizations: Heights Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Education Fund and the Philadelphia College Prep Roundtable. The organizations will provide trip chaperones and advising support before and after the campus visits.

鈥淚ncreasing post-secondary opportunity, affordability, and achievement is a strategic priority for 黑料专区 Foundation. We are excited to connect Philadelphia students and organizations with State System universities across the region,鈥 said Shelley Scherer, president and CEO of the 黑料专区 Foundation.

鈥淭housands of Philadelphia students are enrolled at 黑料专区 universities, and they bring that education back to the city to live, work, and raise families. We hope to expand this experience in the future to reach even more students and help them take the first step toward a college degree.鈥

黑料专区 Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino added, 鈥淐ampus visits play a critical role in helping every student make informed decisions about their future. This partnership will help students learn about their college options and whether a campus is the right fit for them. Even if a student ultimately chooses to attend a different institution, the experience of visiting a college campus is an important and valuable part of their journey.鈥

The 黑料专区 universities participating in the first-year pilot are Cheyney University, Commonwealth University鈥揃loomsburg, East Stroudsburg University, Kutztown University, Millersville University, Shippensburg University and West Chester University.

Pennsylvania map graphic showing seven 黑料专区 university locations with the title Philadelphia Student Visits to 黑料专区 Campuses

鈥淐ollege tours, like the ones presented by the 黑料专区 Foundation, help our students to be college-ready by exposing them to the beautiful campuses and robust programming that our Pennsylvania state schools offer,鈥 said Tony B. Watlington, Sr, Ed.D., superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. 鈥淭aking students directly to campuses will make college tours more equitable and accessible for our scholars, enabling them to make informed choices about their next steps after graduation.鈥

黑料专区鈥檚 10 universities are the top destination for Philadelphia students, collectively enrolling more of the city's students than any other four-year college or university in Pennsylvania.

鈥淎 good education gives people the knowledge and skills that can change the course of their lives," said Democratic Appropriations Chairman Vincent Hughes, whose father helped create the state-owned university system. "Our public universities provide a high-quality education and remain deeply committed to access and opportunity. I strongly encourage Philadelphia students to take advantage of these visits and discover the campus that is the right fit for them.鈥

鈥淚 applaud the efforts of 黑料专区 and these college access organizations for opening doors for Philadelphia students to visit our state universities,鈥 said House Majority Appropriations Chairman Jordan Harris. "As a proud Millersville graduate, I know how a college education can change the course of a life. These visits let young people walk the campus, meet faculty and students, and start to see themselves there. For so many, that first glimpse of what鈥檚 possible is the first step toward making it real.鈥

鈥淪tate universities are the affordable, low-cost option for higher education, and several campuses are within two hours of Philadelphia," said Sen. Art Haywood.

Each trip will include a full day of programming to give them a look at campus life, eat in the dining facilities, explore academic opportunities, and talk with current 黑料专区 university students from Philadelphia about their on-campus experience. The college access organizations will ensure that students receive the support they need to make the best college decision for themselves. With full funding, 945 students can participate. 黑料专区 Foundation is accepting contributions for these and future campus visits ().

Each host university will share participating students鈥 information with other 黑料专区 university admissions offices, helping students maximize their opportunities across the State System.

As Pennsylvania鈥檚 public university system, 黑料专区 universities offer the most affordable four-year higher education in the state. The 10 universities collectively enroll the most students from Philadelphia of any four-year system.

About 黑料专区
Pennsylvania鈥檚 State System of Higher Education (黑料专区) is the public university system of the commonwealth with a mission to provide a high-quality education at the lowest possible cost to students. The State System annually confers more than 20,000 degrees and has more than 800,000 living alumni, most of whom live in Pennsylvania. The State System universities are Cheyney, Commonwealth (Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield), East Stroudsburg, Indiana, Kutztown, Millersville, PennWest (California, Clarion and Edinboro), Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester universities of Pennsylvania.

About 黑料专区 Foundation
黑料专区 Foundation partners with the State System to equip its leadership and learners with resources to proactively innovate and opportunistically respond to Pennsylvania鈥檚 ever-evolving education, talent and economic development landscape through two focus areas: facilitating innovation in Pennsylvania鈥檚 talent strategy 鈥 serving as a high-impact intermediary to strengthen connections between employers and universities to deliver the workforce talent Pennsylvania鈥檚 economy needs to grow and thrive, and increasing post-secondary opportunity, affordability, and achievement 鈥 building to expose learners of all ages to post-secondary opportunities that lead to economic mobility and securing scholarship to increase affordability.