For Chamique Brown, the road to college seemed like it’d be a tough one.

After emigrating from Jamaica during high school and spending her senior year at Warren Harding High School in Bridgeport, Brown found herself facing the same question many high school seniors do: What’s next?

But unlike many of her classmates, she didn’t qualify for federal financial aid at the time because of her visa status.

“I was trying really hard to go to college and was met with the disappointing news that I couldn’t go because I didn’t qualify for financial aid,” Brown said. “I was really bummed out at the time.”

With her dreams seemingly on hold, Brown started preparing to attend a local community college instead. But then came an unexpected call from the University of Bridgeport about Bridgeport’s Brightest — a new initiative launched in 2024 to provide local high school graduates with a fully funded path to higher education.

“I got a call from UB, and they said I would be eligible for the scholarship. At first, I didn’t believe it. I thought it was too good to be true,” Brown said with a laugh.

Brown had applied to UB earlier but wasn’t very optimistic because of the cost and how little she knew about the school. That call changed everything.

The program was created in partnership with Bridgeport Public Schools and in response to a growing crisis in college access. During the early years of the COVID pandemic, FAFSA completions in Connecticut dropped nearly 15% year-over-year, with low-income and first-generation students among the most affected.

The result? Dozens of students like Brown were left reconsidering whether college was even possible.

“This gave me another chance at life,” Brown said. “I was very demotivated at the time. I didn’t know what I wanted to become or what I wanted to do. This college was a big push to achieve something.”

Brown is now entering her sophomore year at UB as a mechanical engineering major. She is the first in her family to attend college.

The Bridgeport’s Brightest scholarship reduces the cost of attending the University of Bridgeport for local students. It offers a flat rate of $7,000 for commuters and $12,500 for residential students — a discount from the university’s standard tuition of $35,760 per year plus fees for full-time undergraduates before any financial aid or scholarships.

For students who also qualify for Pell Grants or Connecticut state aid, the scholarship often helps covers most, if not all, out-of-pocket costs. The program is renewable for up to four years and is capped at 50 students annually to ensure its long-term sustainability.

University of Bridgeport President Danielle Wilken said the program is part of the university’s broader mission to serve its home city.

“We are deeply committed to investing in our local community and fostering the next generation of lifelong learners,” Wilken said. “By partnering with Bridgeport Public Schools, we aim to provide more students with the resources and support they need to pursue higher education.”

She added, “This scholarship is not just an investment in individual futures, but in the future of our community as a whole.”

Since the program’s launch, Wilken said it has been met with overwhelming support from students, parents, and school counselors alike. “Even this year, our high school recruiters said the first question they got from students and families was, ‘Are you going to continue the program?'”

Although it’s too early to analyze long-term data, early trends are promising. Of the students in the first cohort, the majority are pursuing high-impact fields like engineering, nursing, and criminal justice.

For many students, the scholarship provides more than just financial support. It also offers a sense of belonging.

“This program allows students to experience a global university in their backyard,” said Allison Garris, dean of admissions. “They have access to varsity sports, on-campus living, research opportunities, and an international community, while still being supported by their local community and family.”

That proximity, Garris said, is especially important for students juggling work, caregiving, and other family responsibilities.

“When students are thinking about college, they’re wondering, ‘How could I go to class and still make dinner? How can I be here and still be the babysitter?'” she said. “Our job is to show them that it is possible.”

To that end, the university offers a wide array of wraparound services. Communications with families are translated into more than 50 languages. Students receive ongoing support through UB’s Student Support Services, scholarship coaching through a platform called Scholarship Universe, and consistent outreach through local guidance counselors.

“We’re not just handing off students,” Garris said. “We’re building a holistic support system that follows them through their entire educational journey.”

That support was vital for Brown.

“The Student Support Services has provided help since my first day and hasn’t stopped,” she said.

Brown said she also appreciates that UB is exploring ways to improve student access to transportation, especially for those commuting to campus.

“Transportation is important,” she said. “Sometimes public transit isn’t reliable, and that affects students’ ability to participate in clubs or events. I think if UB adds more support for that, it would help students get more involved.”

The scholarship was born in response to a nationwide FAFSA crisis, but university leaders say it reflects a deeper, ongoing need.

“Access to quality higher education ensures more underrepresented groups can succeed academically and professionally,” said Wilken. “It’s the key to realizing equity and breaking the cycles of generational poverty.”

Still, the program’s future depends heavily on donor support. While the university has already secured funding from a small group of local philanthropists, Wilken said sustaining and expanding the program will require long-term investment.

“If you want to invest in the city, and you’re not sure how, this is a great opportunity,” she said. “You’re investing in a student’s education, but the impact that has on the global community is much larger than that.”

Brown says she still has moments where she feels the pressure of being the first in her family to go to college, but she’s learning to take it one step at a time.

“I feel motivated, but I remind myself to be gentle,” she said. “This is part of my journey.”

In five years, she hopes to have a job in engineering, ideally in the structural or civil fields. Her ultimate goal is to help her mother with bills, earn her master’s degree, and give back to the family that encouraged her every step of the way.

“My mom always said, ‘Go to school, go to school.’ That’s it.”

“I really appreciate what everyone has done for me,” Brown adds. “It’s a really good thing to feel supported and to be given an opportunity that wasn’t available to me before.”

For more information about the scholarship program, visit www.bridgeport.edu/brightest.