HVCC wants to lead disadvantaged students to Ivy League

TROY — Hudson Valley Community College is adding a selective — and free — honors program that will aim to help students who otherwise might not have the opportunity to go to college, let alone be able to apply to an Ivy League school.

“Think of the many kids who have the talent but can’t afford the opportunity at the stellar schools,” HVCC President Roger Ramsammy said.

The two-year program will be entirely free. Tuition, books and fees will be covered by private donors.

In addition to students who can’t afford four years at a top school, Ramsammy said there are teenagers who have the aptitude but faced disadvantages during their childhood. They might have grades just slightly below the Ivy League requirements. They might be homeless.

“Who’s going to give them the chance?” he said.

HVCC wants to find them, looking not only at their transcripts but making decisions based on an interview and a letter of recommendation.

They have already received some excellent applicants, said honors college Director Lamyaa Hassib.

The student applying to HVCC’S new program “is probably not a Shen student or (a student of ) other suburban schools,” she said. “These students might not have been able to get into selective colleges. but we are looking to build them to get in.”

The honors program has been designed with the help of top honors colleges, to make sure it matches their rigor. In addition to academics, students must do an internship, research or service project related to their major. Volunteer opportunities in their major are also encouraged.

HVCC has set up automatic transfers with many four-year colleges. But to get into the top honors colleges, students will have to apply.

Some two-year honors colleges in other states have automatic transfers set up for Ivy League schools, but Ramsammy said HVCC students will have to earn their seat, at least at first.

“When the schools see the first graduates who come to them, once they begin to perform at the standard the schools expect to see, they will accept (automatic seats),” he said. “It takes time.”

His goal is to have one transfer seat at each top school set aside for an HVCC student. A handful of other community colleges have managed the same.

For now, there’s no guarantee.

“It’s giving them a very unique opportunity to get into those major schools,” Ramsammy said.

The program starts this fall, likely with 30 students. The application deadline is Friday, March 31. Students must have graduated from high school in 2021 or later and be first-time college students.