Orioles Chairman and CEO JOHN ANGELOS, alongside Baltimore Mayor BRANDON M. SCOTT, today announced a $5 million commitment to CollegeBound Foundation in support of the next Baltimore renaissance. The CollegeBound Foundation empowers Baltimore City Schools’ students to successfully pursue and complete a college degree or other post-secondary option. As part of the initiative and in addition to the College Completion Program and scholarships, the Orioles will provide paid internships to former Baltimore City students and current College Completion Program scholars.
“We are thrilled to announce our pledge to support the CollegeBound Foundation and its College Completion Program, which is just a catalyst to further support Baltimore City youth, leading to the development and retention of invaluable local talent,” said Angelos. “After being introduced to the program by Mayor Scott, a former CollegeBound Foundation scholar, it quickly became a top priority for myself and the Orioles to get involved and find the most impactful avenue of support. This significant pledge is a testament to the club’s commitment to the City of Baltimore, the State of Maryland, and its youth. We hope our contribution acts as a kickstart, and now challenges other Baltimore City businesses to support the CollegeBound Foundation and its mission.”
By providing paid internships to College Completion Program scholars, the Orioles will expose local students to the vast career opportunities existing within the club and help develop the local talent pipeline, with a goal of ultimately offering those students positions within the organization and retaining talent in our region.
"As someone who has lived his entire life in Baltimore and has been a lifelong fan of the Baltimore Orioles, it warms my heart to see this franchise understand and once again embrace its commitment to serving the people of Baltimore – especially Baltimore’s youth," said Mayor Scott. "Today's announcement shows that the Orioles are committed to making a major investment into the future of Baltimore and playing a very active role in the renaissance that is taking place here."
Since being founded in 2017, the CollegeBound College Completion Program, a multi-year support network dedicated to guiding Baltimore City public school graduates through college by offering academic and personal guidance, has made a significant difference in the college graduation rate of Baltimore City public school graduates. The inaugural class, which matriculated in 2017, is on track for a 75 percent graduation rate, and the 2018 scholars are on track for a 78 percent graduation rate, nearly double the college graduation rate of Baltimore City public school graduates attending a four-year college.
During the 2022-23 academic year, the College Completion Program doubled its number of incoming First-Year students from 75 to 155 and increased their staff of College Completion Advisors from two to five. Additionally, they have advisors at 22 colleges and universities in Maryland dedicated to working with CollegeBound scholars.
Since 1989, CollegeBound has assisted more than 96,816 students with completing college applications and finding funding to attend college through one-on-one counseling sessions. They have provided an overview of the college access process to more than 313,444 students through group programs, and have awarded more than $7.2 million in Last Dollar Grants to 2,256 scholars.
To learn more about the CollegeBound Foundation and the College Completion Program, visit CollegeBoundFoundation.org.