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Catalyst Program students at ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ University's Bronx campus are proving that comprehensive support can transform educational outcomes, by achieving academic excellence while building foundations for future careers.

Weifry Guzman, a sophomore with a 3.9 GPA, and freshmen Ajani Brown and Brandon Rios, both maintaining perfect 4.0 GPAs, credit the program's wraparound services with enabling them to focus entirely on academics without the financial pressures that burden many college students.

The Catalyst Program, exclusive to ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ's Bronx Campus, provides financial aid support, on-campus meals, free books, transportation stipends, laptops with internet hotspots and dedicated mentoring to students pursuing degrees in business, education, social work or psychology â€” fields selected to address employment demands in the Bronx area.

"The program offers a full-ride scholarship, allowing students to focus on their education without the stress of taking on student loans or working long hours to pay for tuition," Guzman said. "The cohort model has been especially valuable because it creates a strong sense of community and accountability. Through this model, I have been able to build meaningful friendships where we support one another and push each other to become better students every day." 

The finance or accounting hopeful was drawn to the program after a recruiter visited his high school, explaining how the initiative would support students from enrollment through job placement.

For Brown, the program represented a fresh start after high school struggles. "Your high school GPA doesn't define who you will become — everyone deserves a second chance and an opportunity to do great things," he said. "The program has given me so much. It's given me the perfect environment to be a good student and to do things differently than what I did before when I was in high school."

Brown has already secured a teaching assistant position through a professor's recommendation after just one semester. "The program has given me a community of people who believe in me and my abilities," he said.

Rios emphasized the program's impact beyond financial support. "It's not only about the financial benefits it provides you, but more importantly, the connections you make along the way," he said. "My professors, mentors and best friends I have all met through the Catalyst program."

Students in the program, known as Catalysts, attend classes together in learning communities and receive support from faculty advisors and personal mentors. Guzman noted the accessibility of support: "The professors and mentors are extremely supportive and always make sure we have their contact information, so they are easily accessible. They genuinely care about our progress."

Brown said the program eliminates common college obstacles. "With Catalyst, everything is great — you don't have to worry about meals much, you can just put 100% of your attention into being a great student."

All three students said they would recommend the program to future students. Rios, who selected ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ as his top choice before learning about Catalyst, said the program's benefits "made it better," particularly regarding "future opportunities that would guarantee me a job after graduation."

More information about the Catalyst Program is available at .