First-generation students can now attend Bentley University, a private university in Waltham, Massachusetts, for the same price as a state university, UMass in particular, through a new scholarship called BentleyFirst.
"Empowering students from different backgrounds leads to diverse perspectives and conversations inside and outside the classroom that benefit all our students," said Vice President of Enrollment Management Carolina Figueroa, who was the first in her family to graduate from college. "The BentleyFirst program increases access to all the benefits that come from a private education including smaller classes, personal attention and student support."
Bentley has been previously recognized for its commitment to first-generation students, having recently been named a part of the 2021-2022 First-gen Forward cohort. The cohort consists of colleges and universities that are “improving the experiences and advancing the outcomes of first-generation college students.” In addition to its new scholarship, the university boasts a “FirstGen Presidential Fellows” program, which provides “high-ability first-generation students” a full scholarship plus mentoring, networking and career development.
