Contact:
Mike Ferlazzo
570-577-3212
570-238-6266 (c)
mike.ferlazzo@bucknell.edu
LEWISBURG, Pa. (April 11, 2024) – Jasmine Jones ’25, management & organizations, was in her first year at Harrisburg Area Community College when she discovered a pathway to Bucknell. “Deciding to take a chance on herself,” she applied for the Bucknell Community College Scholars Program (BCCSP), which enables high-achieving, moderate to low-income students to earn a bachelor’s degree at Bucknell.
Each summer, BCCSP provides the opportunity for 20 to 25 community college students to immerse themselves in life at a residential university. Participants spend six weeks living and learning on campus while completing two classes. Through the experience, Jones gained confidence in her ability to produce quality work. She says the support of her professors helped her overcome the feeling that she didn’t belong at an institution like Bucknell.
Since transferring to Bucknell in 2023, Jones has flourished as a scholar, mentor and changemaker. She was elected CEO of her company in her Management 101 course, an experience in which management students design and run their own companies that conduct service projects. Jones led her team in raising $7,000 for Transitions of PA, a domestic violence shelter.
“I couldn’t imagine before coming here being in a class like that,” says Jones. “I’m just so grateful for Bucknell for having this course that allows a multitude of people from all sorts of backgrounds to come together for a common cause and make a better life for other people.” In addition to raising money for the shelter, Jones and her classmates collected hygiene items and children’s toys for families in need. Their efforts allowed the families to give gifts during the holidays. “It was a really rewarding experience,” she says.
Outside of class, Jones works as an intern for the Center for Access and Success, which oversees the BCCSP and four other signature and national pathway scholarship programs. In her position, she facilitates discussions with other scholarship recipients, organizes events and trips, and pursues outreach initiatives so prospective students can learn about scholarship opportunities. “Part of my work is developing the scholars that we have and implementing the things that I’ve learned as a student in the Freeman College of Management to help them make decisions.”
Jones says her background as a transfer student gives her a unique perspective and helps her to connect with students who might also come from a nontraditional path. “I’m grateful to be able to give back and help other students benefit from the programs and opportunities that Bucknell offers.”
Jones hopes to apply what she’s learning in the Freeman College of Management to a career in human resources, where she would be able to empower others by introducing them to learning opportunities within an organization. “I think it’s important to give people a chance, especially if they don’t have a traditional academic background, to gain the necessary skills to move up in a business.”
She says her Bucknell experience has inspired her to help others.
“This institution really cares about its scholarship students – and not just faculty and staff, but also the amazing families that have donated to our program. They have really touched my heart by believing in students like me. I never saw a school like Bucknell in my future, and to be here has just been transformative.”
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