Scholar support program expands to IU Indianapolis, helps first-gen underrepresented students

Indiana University Indianapolis announced& this week& it will bring the Groups Scholars Program to its campus next year. The program provides academic, financial and social support to first-generation and underrepresented college students to help them obtain a bachelor’s degree. Scholars live on campus during the summer for six weeks, where they take courses, navigate the campus and connect with classmates prior to their freshman year. Eric Williams was accepted into IU Bloomington’s Groups Program in 1999. He went on to earn three degrees from IU: a bachelor’s, a master’s and a Ph.D. He held numerous positions with the university, including as a graduate assistant and an academic advisor. Now, he will spearhead the expansion of the Groups Scholars Program at IU Indianapolis as the senior executive director of the& Educational Equity Programs. “I carry that responsibility to make sure that we create something here at Indiana University Indianapolis that rings true to the legacy of that program,” he said. The Groups Scholars Program began at IU Bloomington in 1968 to increase the attendance of first-generation students and students with socioeconomic obstacles. The program has expanded over the years to IU’s regional campuses, including IU Kokomo, IU South Bend and IU...